2 syllables: care, ful. Stress on care.
KER-fuhl
/ˈkɛɹfəl/
careful is pronounced KER-fuhl (/ˈkɛɹfəl/). It has two syllables (care-ful), with the stress on "care". Careful describes taking pains to avoid mistakes or harm, showing caution and attention. It connotes deliberate, thoughtful action, often with a sense of precaution. In everyday use, it can describe careful behavior, careful listening, or careful handling of delicate tasks, emphasizing thoroughness and prudence.
Careful describes taking pains to avoid mistakes or harm, showing caution and attention. It connotes deliberate, thoughtful action, often with a sense of precaution. In everyday use, it can describe careful behavior, careful listening, or careful handling of delicate tasks, emphasizing thoroughness and prudence.
"Please handle the glass carefully so it doesn’t break."
"Be careful crossing the street; the cars don’t always stop."
"She’s careful with her words to avoid offending anyone."
Careful is pronounced with two syllables: /ˈker.fəl/ in US and UK. The primary stress lands on the first syllable KER. Start with a clear /k/ release, then a mid-back rounded vowel in /ˈker/ similar to 'care' but shorter. End with a light, schwa-like /ə/ and an /l/ that lingers. In fast speech, the /ər/ can reduce to a rhotacized or reduced vowel, but keep the initial /k/ and final /l/ distinct. Listen and imitate a native speaker to lock the rhythm.
Two common errors are conflating /ˈker/ with /ˈkeə/ (British non-rhotic vowel) and turning the final /əl/ into a separate syllable like /əl/ with a strong schwa. The fix: keep the first syllable as /ˈker/ (with /ɜː/ or /eə/ depending on accent) and shorten the second syllable to a quick /fəl/ or /fə/; ensure a light, non-syllabic /r/ in rhotic accents and a soft /l/ at the end. Practice with quick transitions: /ˈker.fəl/.
In US English, /ˈker.fəl/ with rhotic /r/ and a clear schwa in the second syllable. In UK English, /ˈkeə.fəl/ often features a reduced second syllable and a less pronounced /r/, with the first vowel closer to /eə/. Australian English sits between US and UK, often with a bright /eə/ in the first syllable and a softly pronounced final /əl/. In all, the critical differences lie in rhoticity and vowel quality of the first syllable.
The challenge lies in two adjacent syllables with distinct vowels and a final light /l/. The first syllable requires a precise onset /k/ with a tense vowel in /ˈker/; the second syllable demands a quick, unstressed /fəl/ or /fə/. The subtle vowel shift between accents (US /ˈker/ vs UK /ˈkeə/) adds complexity, and the final /l/ can be syllabic or light depending on speech pace. Mastery requires careful mouth positioning and rhythm.
A key, word-specific feature is maintaining a clear, short /er/ in the first syllable while rapidly gliding into the reduced second syllable /fəl/. In careful, the first syllable should be prominent and crisp; the second syllable is quick, almost light, with the /l/ softly rounded. This creates the characteristic two-beat rhythm that distinguishes careful from similar words like carefulness and careworn.
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Careful derives from the adjective careful, itself from Middle English careful, from older form carefull, based on care (Old English cearu, car, worry, concern) + the suffix -ful. The root word care traces to Proto-Germanic *kaʀiz and Proto-Indo-European *kār-, related to worrying, grief, and attention. The earlier meaning centered on sorrow or concern, evolving around the notion of paying attention and taking heed to avoid harm. By the 15th century, careful primarily signified people who are attentive or cautious in action, with the sense of methodical thoroughness in tasks developing in later centuries. In modern English, careful commonly modifies actions (careful handling), behavior (careful listening), and decisions (careful planning), retaining the core idea of deliberate, attentive caution. First known use in printed English appears in the late Middle English period, with attested spellings emphasizing care and attention as a virtue in personal conduct and work. Over time, the term broadened from emotional concern to practical diligence, and it remains a staple descriptor in professional and everyday language. Modern usage often pairs with adverbs like very or extremely to intensify the degree of caution.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "careful" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "careful" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "careful"
-ful sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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