2 syllables: boul, der. Stress on boul.
BOHL-dur
/ˈboʊldɚ/
boulder is pronounced BOHL-dur (/ˈboʊldɚ/). It has two syllables (boul-der), with the stress on "boul". A large rock or cliff, typically weathered and weather-beaten, that is too large to move easily. The term can describe a single rock mass used as a monument or obstacle, or a landscape feature in geology and geography.
A large rock or cliff, typically weathered and weather-beaten, that is too large to move easily. The term can describe a single rock mass used as a monument or obstacle, or a landscape feature in geology and geography.
"The hikers rested at the base of a massive boulder blocking the trail."
"A decorative boulder sits at the garden's edge, anchoring the design."
"During the storm, a boulder toppled from the hillside and blocked the road."
US: /ˈboʊldər/; UK: /ˈbəʊldə/; AU: /ˈboːldə/. The key is a strong first syllable with a long O sound, followed by a reduced second syllable. Start with a rounded, raised jaw for /oʊ/, then move to a quick, light schwa-or schwar for /ər/ or /ə/. Emphasize BOHL (rhythmic peak) and keep the final /r/ darkened in non-rhotic accents. Natural audio cues: feel the /oʊ/ as a single glide and then land on /ld/ cluster before the final schwa.
Two classic errors: (1) pronouncing /ˈboʊldər/ with a short /o/ as in 'bold' rather than the diphthong /oʊ/. (2) Dropping the /l/ or misplacing it after the /d/, leading to /ˈboʊdə/ or /ˈbaʊldər/. Correct approach: produce /oʊ/ as a rising diphthong, then clearly articulate the /l/ in an immediate onset to the /d/, maintaining a clean /ld/ cluster before the final schwa. Keep the final /r/ light or non-rhotic depending on the region.
US English features a rhotic /r/ and a clear /oʊ/ followed by /ldər/. UK English tends to be non-rhotic; you may hear /ˈbəʊldə/, with a weaker or non-pronounced /r/ at the end and a shorter, clipped final syllable. Australian English sits between—rhotic-ish in careful speech but often flapped or lightly pronounced; /ˈboːldə/ with a lengthened /oː/ and a subdued /r/. Vowel quality and rhoticity drive the main differences rather than major consonant changes.
The combination of a diphthong in the stressed first syllable, a dense /ld/ consonant cluster, and a trailing schwa makes timing tricky: the /l/ must be produced without pulling the tongue too far back for the /d/. Additionally, the final /r/ or lack of it across accents can alter perceived vowel length and syllable count. Mastery requires coordinating tongue tip for /l/ with the alveolar closure for /d/ while maintaining a relaxed jaw for the /ər/ or /ə/.
The word’s nucleus is the long O diphthong /oʊ/ in the stressed first syllable, which blends into a tightly linked /ld/ cluster before the final reduced vowel. The challenge is not the sound by itself but the transitions: ensure the /l/ does not migrate into the /d/ accidentally and that the /r/ is light or absent in non-rhotic accents. Practicing the glide from /oʊ/ into /ld/ with a quick, crisp tongue tip stop helps stabilize the sequence.
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Boulder comes from the Old English bolder, which meant a large, rounded stone or rock. Its roots trace to Proto-Germanic *boldaz, meaning “roaring, loud,” a sense that later shifted to describe a large, heavy rock. The word evolved in Middle English contexts to denote substantial rocky masses, distinguishing them from smaller stones or pebbles. The semantic shift likely reflects geological features common in northern and central Europe where tumbled boulders were notable landscape elements. By the 16th–17th centuries, boulder entered modern usage, regularly appearing in geology, cartography, and landscape description to denote large, exposed rock fragments often detached from surrounding bedrock. The term has retained its core sense across varieties of English, with regional pronunciation variations affecting the initial consonant cluster and the vowel quality, yet always referencing a large, solitary rock mass rather than a mere stone or pebble.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "boulder" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "boulder"
-lar sounds
-ler sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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# Master Pronunciation Guide: Boulder
