Appeal refers to a quality that attracts or invites desire, a request to review or reconsider a decision, or the act of appealing to someone’s emotions or sense of justice. It can function as a noun (the appeal of the novel) or a verb (to appeal a verdict). The core idea is an attraction or plea that seeks favorable attention or change.
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- You may flatten the second syllable, giving /əˈpɛl/ or /əˈpɪl/. Fix by elongating the /iː/ and keeping the eal as a gloss for a long vowel, not a short one. - You might reduce the first syllable too much, pronouncing it like ‘peel’ with a weak initial sound; ensure a light, neutral schwa in the first syllable before the long /iː/. - Some speakers misplace the stress onto the first syllable when saying phrases such as ‘appeal to’ in rapid speech; practice with slow repetition showing the emphasized second syllable and then generalization to faster speech.
- US: Keep rhotics clear after the schwa; /əˈpiːl/ with a tense /iː/ and less vowel reduction in connected speech. - UK: Similar /əˈpiːl/ with slightly more clipped final /l/; ensure /iː/ is held as a high-front vowel and the lips spread. - AU: Aligns with /əˈpiːl/ but may show a slightly more centralized vowel in some speakers; maintain the long /iː/ and avoid /ɪ/ or /eɪ/ blends.
"The charity’s appeal raised thousands of dollars in a single day."
"She made an emotional appeal to the jury for mercy."
"The architect’s design has strong aesthetic appeal."
"He plans to appeal the decision with new evidence."
Appeal derives from Middle English appealen, borrowed from Old French appeal, which itself comes from Latin appellare, meaning to address or call upon (ad + appellare). The Latin root appellare combines ad- (toward) with appellare (to name, call by name; to speak to). In medieval law and rhetoric, appeal carried both a formal sense of addressing a higher authority and a persuasive sense of making a plea or argument to influence judgment. The word traveled into English in the 15th century, initially tethered to legal contexts (appeal of a decision) and gradually broadening to general attraction (the appeal of a painting) and emotional persuasion. Over time, the verb form dominate in many contexts, while the noun form remains common in legal, promotional, and discursive uses. Modern usage retains the dual sense: formal review of a decision and the broader sense of attractiveness or persuasion.
💡 Etymology tip: Understanding word origins can help you remember pronunciation patterns and recognize related words in the same language family.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "appeal" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "appeal" and show contrast in usage.
📚 Vocabulary tip: Learning synonyms and antonyms helps you understand nuanced differences in meaning and improves your word choice in speaking and writing.
Words that rhyme with "appeal"
-eel sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
🎵 Rhyme tip: Practicing with rhyming words helps you master similar sound patterns and improves your overall pronunciation accuracy.
Pronounce it as ə-PEEL, with the primary stress on the second syllable. IPA: US /əˈpiːl/, UK /əˈpiːl/ or /əˈpil/, AU /əˈpiːl/. Start with a neutral schwa syllable, then a long, tense /iː/ vowel in 'peel.' The lips spread into a wide smile shape as you glide into /iː/.
Two common errors: 1) Dropping the second syllable stress or making both syllables equal in weight; instead the primary stress lands on the second syllable: ə-PEEL. 2) Reducing the /iː/ to a short /ɪ/ or schwa; aim for a clear long /iː/ as in 'feel' or 'seal.' To fix, elongate the vowel in the second syllable and avoid the quick, flat vowel.
In US and UK, the second syllable carries primary stress with a long /iː/: /əˈpiːl/. Australian English typically matches /əˈpiːl/ but vowel quality may be slightly tighter in non-rhotic positions; the first syllable remains a schwa. Rhotacization is not involved in standard forms, so /ɚ/ is not used here. Overall, the main difference is vowel duration and subtle vowel quality shifts rather than a different stress pattern.
The challenge lies in sustaining a clear long /iː/ after a weak initial schwa and ensuring the vowel in the second syllable remains tense without turning into /ɪ/ or /ɪl/. It also requires correct mouth opening: a relaxed, neutral first syllable followed by a high front tense vowel. Misplacing stress or shortening the second vowel makes the word sound like /əˈpɪl/ or /əˈpeəl/.
The word hinges on a clean syllable boundary: a light, unstressed schwa in the first syllable and a clearly voiced, long /iː/ in the second. It’s also where non-native speakers often insert an extra consonant or reduce the second syllable, turning it into /əˈpel/ or /əˈpil/. Paying attention to the subtle arch of the tongue toward high front position for /iː/ preserves the word’s correct character.
🗣️ Voice search tip: These questions are optimized for voice search. Try asking your voice assistant any of these questions about "appeal"!
- Shadowing: Listen to a 10–15 second clip of a native speaker saying ‘appeal’ in isolation and in phrases; imitate the exact intonation and vowel length, then record and compare. - Minimal pairs: test /äp/ vs /eɪ/ and focus on distinguishing /iː/ vs /ɪ/ in the second syllable: appeal vs apeal (not a common word, but used for contrast), peel, pill,pail. - Rhythm practice: Pause after the first syllable, then a crisp, stressed second syllable; try phrases such as ‘to appeal to,’ ‘appeal process,’ and hold the /iː/ across the boundary. - Stress practice: Practice emphasizing the second syllable in slow, then normal, then fast speech until the stress remains consistently on /piːl/. - Recording: Use a voice memo and compare to native samples; note if the first syllable reduces too much or the /iː/ shortens in tempo.
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