4 syllables: A, dor, a, ble. Stress on dor.
uh-DAW-ruh-buhl
/əˈdɔɹəbəl/
Adorable is pronounced uh-DAW-ruh-buhl (/əˈdɔɹəbəl/). It has four syllables (A-dor-a-ble), with the stress on "dor". Adorable is an adjective describing something or someone that evokes affection, charm, or warm admiration. It often refers to endearing appearance or behavior. In usage, it conveys strong positive feelings and is commonly applied to people, animals, or objects that invite tenderness.
adjectiveAdorable is an adjective describing something or someone that evokes affection, charm, or warm admiration. It often refers to endearing appearance or behavior. In usage, it conveys strong positive feelings and is commonly applied to people, animals, or objects that invite tenderness.
- You might overemphasize the first syllable or the final -ble, leading to a stilted rhythm. - Failing to vocalize the /ɔː/ clearly; keep it open and long enough to sound natural. - The cluster /rəb(ə)l/ can bleed into one syllable; practice chunking as /ˈdɔːr.ə.bəl/ with a light, quick /r/ and a soft /ə/ before /bəl/.
"The puppy's goofy antics made her look absolutely adorable."
"She wore a bright, polka-dotted dress that was simply adorable."
"That handwritten note was so adorable I kept it for years."
US/UK/AU pronunciation centers on the second syllable: /əˈdɔːrəb(ə)l/. Break it as a-DOR-a-ble, with primary stress on DOR. Start with a schwa in the first syllable, then a long or open-mid back vowel in the stressed syllable, followed by a relaxed 'rah'-ish r, a muted 'uh' in the penultimate syllable, and a light 'ble' ending. You’ll often hear the final -able reduced to /əl/ in connected speech. Audio reference: listen for /ˌædˈɔːr-.bəl/ in careful speech and /əˈdɔːrəbl̩/ in casual speech.
Two frequent errors: misplacing stress (trying to put stress on the first syllable) and mispronouncing the final -able as /eɪbəl/ or /eɪbl/. Correct by placing primary stress on the second syllable: /əˈdɔːrəb(ə)l/. Keep the final /əl/ light and unstressed in natural speech. Ensure the r is pronounced as a soft, rhotacized sound in US English; in non-rhotic accents, the r is less pronounced before a consonant or word-finally, affecting the second syllable’s ending.
US English features a rhotic /r/ in /ˈdɔːr/ with a clear /ɔː/ vowel; UK English tends toward a shorter /ɔː/ and may be more non-rhotic in rapid speech, affecting the second syllable. Australian pronunciation preserves rhoticity less strongly and often uses a slightly broader /ɔː/ or /ɒː/ depending on speaker. IPA references: US /əˈdɔːrəb(ə)l/, UK /əˈdɔːrəb(ə)l/, AU /əˈdɔːrəb(ə)l/. In fast speech, you may hear /əˈdɒrəbl/ or /əˈdɔːrəbəl/ with reduced vowels.
The difficulty arises from the unstressed first syllable and the cluster around the stressed vowel, requiring precise vowel length and tongue position around /ɔː/ and the alveolar /r/. Also, the final -able introduces a syllabic or reduced /l/ that blends with the preceding schwa; many learners insert extra vowels or misplace stress. Practicing the transition from /ə/ to /ˈdɔːr/ and then smoothly into /əbl/ helps stabilize the rhythm.
A distinctive feature is the bold diphthong interaction in the stressed /ɔːr/ portion when followed by a light /ə/ in the next syllable; the /r/ quality must be integrated with the preceding vowel without creating a break. Practically, you should glide from /ɔː/ into /rə/ with a quick, soft throat constriction for /r/ and keep the /ə/ unstressed, so the final /bl/ stays crisp rather than merging into a single syllable.
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- US: Rhotic, clear /r/; keep the /ɔː/ long and rounded, link to /rə/ smoothly. - UK: Slightly shorter /ɔː/; non-rhotic in some contexts, so the /r/ may be subdued; ensure the final /əl/ is light. - AU: Rhotic but with less pronounced r and a more centralized /ə/; maintain the /ɔː/ vowel and gentle /r/.
Adorable comes from the Latin adorare, meaning to worship or to adore, with the suffix -able indicating capability or quality. The root ador- derives from ad- 'toward' + orare 'to speak, pray' in Latin, reflecting the sense of something that invites adoration. Through Old French, the form adorable emerged in the medieval and early modern periods, adopting the sense of something worthy of worship or great affection. In English, adorable appeared in the 17th century as a more intensified form of 'adorable' used in religious and moral contexts before broadening to general everyday use to describe charming, lovable things. Its semantic evolution mirrors a shift from sacred connotation to informal praise, while retaining the core idea of eliciting affectionate response. Today, adorable is pervasive in spoken and written English, often in informal registers, and frequently used in marketing, parenting, and social commentary to express warm approval or delight about people, animals, or objects.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Adorable" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "Adorable"
-ble sounds
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