2 syllables: A, dore. Stress on dore.
uh-DAWR
/əˈdɔɹ/
Adore is pronounced uh-DAWR (/əˈdɔɹ/). It has two syllables (A-dore), with the stress on "dore". Adore is a verb meaning to regard with deep, often affectionate admiration or love. In everyday use it can mean loving something or someone intensely, or praising or regarding highly. The term carries warmth and emotional depth, commonly applied to people, activities, or objects one holds in high esteem.
verbAdore is a verb meaning to regard with deep, often affectionate admiration or love. In everyday use it can mean loving something or someone intensely, or praising or regarding highly. The term carries warmth and emotional depth, commonly applied to people, activities, or objects one holds in high esteem.
"I adore my grandmother’s gentle stories and her homemade cookies."
"Fans adore the singer’s performance, praising every heartfelt note."
"She adores the way the garden smells in the morning after rain."
Adore is pronounced with two syllables: uh-DOR. IPA: US /əˈdɔːr/, UK /əˈdɔː/, AU /əˈdɔː/. Start with a neutral schwa, then place the tongue high-mid back for the /ɔː/ sound, finishing with a rhotic or extended vowel depending on accent. Emphasize the second syllable; the DOR portion is the main carrier of sound and should be crisp, with the mouth rounded slightly for /ɔː/. If you have trouble, practice by saying ‘a door’ quickly, ensuring the same vowel and final /r/ coloration in American accents.
Two common errors: 1) Skipping the second syllable or reducing to a single-syllable /əˈdɔː/ by rushing the /r/ and collapsing the vowel. 2) Misplacing the /ɔː/ as a short /ɔ/ or mixing with an /ɑː/ sound, leading to an ‘ah-door’ rather than ‘uh-dor’. Correction: fully articulate the /ɔː/ as a long, rounded back vowel, keep the schwa in the initial position, and finish with a clear /r/ (in rhotic accents) or a light vowel ending (non-rhotic accents). Practice the two-syllable rhythm: uh-DOR, not uh-DAWR.
US: rhotic /r/ at the end, /ɔː/ as a long back rounded vowel; stress on the second syllable. UK: /əˈdɔː/ with non-rhotic tendency in many speakers, sometimes a less pronounced final rhotic; more precise back rounded vowel. AU: similar to UK but with Australian vowel qualities—slightly more centralized /ə/ and subtle vowel length differences, still stressing second syllable. In all, the key differences lie in rhoticity and vowel quality: US maintains /r/; UK often reduces post-vocalic /r/; AU varies with broader, more centralized vowel spacing.
The challenge is producing the long /ɔː/ vowel and the rhoticity or non-rhotic ending accurately. For non-rhotic speakers, the final /r/ may be silent, while rhotic speakers pronounce a trailing /r/ that influences preceding vowel color. The initial schwa can blur, making the second syllable less distinct. Achieving the correct mouth posture—slightly rounded lips for /ɔː/ and a precise post-alveolar /ɹ/ or its absence—requires careful articulation and awareness of vowel length in your target accent.
Adore uniquely combines a soft initial vowel with a strong mid-back vowel in the second syllable, creating a warm, intimate sound. The transition from the schwa to /ɔː/ should be smooth and not clipped. For some speakers, the second syllable can seem rushed; focus on maintaining its full vowel length and clear consonant release for the /r/ or its absence. This word hinges on vowel quality and the crisp onset of the /d/ followed by the rounded /ɔː/.
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Adore comes from the Latin adōrāre, meaning to worship or to glorify, formed from ad- ‘toward’ + ōrāre ‘to speak, pray, plead’. The Latin root ōrāre evolves into Old French ajouter?—no, better: adorer—was used in medieval French with religious overtones, literally meaning to adore or worship. In Middle English, adore adopted from Old French adorer and Latin influence, retaining its sense of reverence and intense affection. The core idea shifted from divine worship to broad, heartfelt affection, expanding usage to describe fond admiration for people, pets, objects, activities, or experiences. By the 16th–17th centuries, adore had become common in English beyond religious contexts, aligning with modern senses of loving or greatly enjoying something.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Adore" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "Adore" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "Adore"
-ore sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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