2 syllables: bor, dered. Stress on bor.
BAWR-durd
/ˈbɔɹdɚd/
bordered is pronounced BAWR-durd (/ˈbɔɹdɚd/). It has two syllables (bor-dered), with the stress on "bor". Bordered describes something that has or is defined by a border or boundary, or is enclosed by a border. It conveys a sense of having adjacent edges or limits. In usage, it often highlights enclosing or adjoining features relative to a border or boundary, and can imply distinction or boundary-marking in spatial, conceptual, or figurative senses.
Bordered describes something that has or is defined by a border or boundary, or is enclosed by a border. It conveys a sense of having adjacent edges or limits. In usage, it often highlights enclosing or adjoining features relative to a border or boundary, and can imply distinction or boundary-marking in spatial, conceptual, or figurative senses.
- Misplacing primary stress or over-accenting the second syllable; keep stress on the first syllable. - Under-articulating the final /d/; deliver a crisp closure rather than a nasal or vowel-influenced end. - Vowel quality mistake: treat /ɔː/ as short /ɒ/; use a full rounded back vowel for BOR. - In non-rhotic accents, ensure the /r/ is not too strong if aiming for non-rhotic clarity. Practically, isolate the first vowel, then the final /d/ with a clean stop. - Rushing the transition between syllables; practice with rhythm work to maintain a steady pace while preserving clarity.
"The painting was bordered in gold to match the frame."
"The country is bordered by several mountain ranges and rivers."
"Her swatches were bordered with a delicate white lace edge."
You say BOR-dərd, with the primary stress on the first syllable. In US/UK/AU, the first syllable uses a broad open back vowel /ɔː/. The second syllable typically reduces to /dər/ (US) or /də/ (UK/AU) in rapid speech. IPA: US /ˈbɔɹ.dɚd/, UK /ˈbɔː.dəd/, AU /ˈbɔː.dəd/. Visualize the mouth: jaw drops slightly, lips rounded for /ɔː/ then the tongue relaxes for /ɹ/ or neutral /ɹ/ in American, followed by a light /d/ plus rhotacized or reduced /ər/.
Common errors include treating /ɔː/ as a short /ɒ/ sound as in 'cot', and overpronouncing the final /dɪ/ or /ɪd/ when many speakers reduce to /dərd/. Also, some learners insert an extra /r/ in non-rhotic accents. Correction tips: use a clear /ɔː/ for the first syllable, keep the second syllable light and quick as /dər/ (US) or /də/ (UK/AU), and avoid an unnecessary extra vowel after the /d/. Practice with minimal pairs to emphasize duration and rhoticity.
In US English, /ˈbɔɹ.dɚd/ features a rhotic /ɹ/ and a schwa-like /ɚ/ in the unstressed second syllable. In UK English, /ˈbɔː.dəd/ tends to be non-rhotic (less rhoticity) and uses a shorter, centralized second syllable /ə/. Australian English sits between, often /ˈbɔː.dəd/ with a clear /ɔː/ and non-rhotic or weak rhotics, depending on speaker. Focus on keeping /ɔː/ full and light /d/ followed by a schwa or /ə/ in non-rhotic varieties.
Three challenges: maintaining a full /ɔː/ vowel in the first syllable while transitioning to a short, reduced second syllable; navigating a rapid /d/ into a final /d/ without adding an extra vowel; and managing rhotics or non-rhotics in the final syllable depending on accent. Paying attention to precise tongue height and lip rounding for /ɔː/ and planning a quick, light /d/ release helps deliver a natural 'bordered' sound across accents.
Yes. The word has a two-syllable, trochaic pattern with primary stress on the first syllable: BOR-dered. The second syllable is weakly stressed or unstressed, often realized as /dər/ or /də/ in many dialects. The final /d/ is a clear, single consonant closure; avoid adding an extra vowel after /d/ in fluent speech. This pattern affects pacing: slower, precise first syllable, quicker, lighter second syllable.
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- US: Emphasize rhotic /ɹ/ in the second syllable if the speaker is rhotic; keep a clear /ɔː/ in the first syllable. - UK: Cut the /r/; make the second syllable a weak /də/ or /dəd/ with a very short schwa. - AU: Often non-rhotic, similar to UK; ensure the /ɔː/ is full, and the final /d/ lands crisply. Use IPA guides to check precise vowel length; practice with minimal pairs to emphasize the first syllable. - General cue: mouth opens wider for /ɔː/ and relaxes for /d/ into the final syllable; aim for smooth, light transition between syllables.
Bordered comes from the noun border, which traces to Old French borde (border, edge) from Germanic roots; it spread into Middle English via Norman influence. The term border originally signified a boundary or edge separating regions and properties. The suffix -ed is a standard past participle/ adjective marker in English, indicating a resultant state: something that has a border or has been edged. The modern use of bordered emphasizes the state of having a boundary around something, either literally (as in a border on a field or picture) or metaphorically (as in bordered by limits). The concept of bordering expanded in the 16th–18th centuries with cartography and political geography, where territories, civilizations, and maps repeatedly described things as bordered by rivers, mountains, or borders. By the 19th and 20th centuries, bordered became common in both physical descriptions and design contexts (e.g., bordered margins, bordered fabrics), maintaining a stable core meaning of ‘having a border or being delineated by a boundary.’ First known uses emerge in Middle English/ Early Modern English texts, with explicit mentions in land and property records and descriptions of maps and borders, cementing its sense as a state or condition rather than a verb-only form.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "bordered" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "bordered" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "bordered"
-ded sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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