2 syllables: cin, ders. Stress on cin.
SIN-durz
/ˈsɪndɚz/
cinders is pronounced SIN-durz (/ˈsɪndɚz/). It has two syllables (cin-ders), with the stress on "cin". Cinders are small, partially burned bits of material (such as wood or coal) that remain after something has burned. The term is often used to describe embers or ash that glows, typically found in a fire or furnace. In figurative usage, “cinders” can evoke remnants or traces left behind after a destructive event.
Cinders are small, partially burned bits of material (such as wood or coal) that remain after something has burned. The term is often used to describe embers or ash that glows, typically found in a fire or furnace. In figurative usage, “cinders” can evoke remnants or traces left behind after a destructive event.
"The old fireplace still smells of smoke, and the cinders hiss as you poke at them."
"Ash and cinders rained down after the bonfire got out of hand."
"She sifted through the grate, collecting warm cinders for a quick, cozy fire."
US/UK/AU pronunciation centers on two syllables with primary stress on the first: /ˈsɪn.dərz/. Start with /s/ (hissing s), then /ɪ/ as in “sit,” then /n/; the second syllable uses schwa /ər/ (the r-colored vowel in rhotic accents), ending with /z/ for the plural. In non-rhotic accents, the final r is less pronounced, sounding like /ˈsɪn.dəz/. Practice a clear light pause between syllables and let the final /z/ be voiced.
Common mistakes: (1) Slurring the middle vowel, giving /ˈsɪn.dər/ or /ˈsɪn.dəz/ inconsistently; keep the /d/ as a discrete consonant between syllables. (2) Misplacing stress—putting emphasis on the second syllable; ensure primary stress on the first syllable. (3) Final consonant devoicing or over-voicing the /z/; keep the /z/ clearly voiced. Correction: practice with a deliberate /s/ + /ɪ/ + /n/ + /d/ + /ər/ + /z/ sequence, and record to hear the voiced end.
US: /ˈsɪn.dərz/ with rhotic /r/ and clear /z/. UK: /ˈsɪn.dəz/ often weaker /ɜː/ or schwa in the second syllable; some speakers reduce the r sound. AU: typically /ˈsɪn.dəz/ with a more centralized /ə/ and similar rhotic behavior to US, but vowel quality slightly flatter. Key differences center on rhoticity and second-syllable vowel coloring.
The challenge lies in transitioning from /ɪ/ to /n/ to the rhotic, then ending with a voiced /z/ in rapid speech. The second syllable’s /ər/ can be reduced to a schwa in some accents, which can blur timing. Also, the cluster /nd/ between syllables demands clean syllabic separation to avoid slurring. Focus on precise tongue placement for /n/, maintain a light touch on /d/, and finish with an audible /z/.
Is the pronunciation of the second syllable affected by surrounding sounds like ‘cinder’ vs ‘cinders’ in fast speech? It remains /ˈsɪn.dərz/ with the /ər/ reduced in some dialects to /ə/; the plural /z/ remains voiceless or voiced depending on next sound. In careful speech, keep the /d/ clearly released before the /ər/ and ensure the final /z/ is voiced.
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Cinders originates from Middle English cinder, from Old English cynedyr or cinder, rooted in Proto-Germanic *kintō- meaning ‘burning matter’ (related to ember and coal). The word denoted the partially burned matter left after combustion and was used broadly to describe hot, glowing fragments. Over time, cinder narrowed to refer specifically to small, cooled embers or ash-like fragments. By Early Modern English, “cinder” described residual hot material in furnaces and fireplaces, while the plural “cinders” became common in both literal and figurative senses (for example, remnants of a event). The semantic shift includes metaphorical uses like “cinders of a fire” describing remnants of memory or ruin, while the physical sense persists in coal and wood-burning contexts. First known use appears in medieval English literature, with attestations in household management and descriptions of fires, transitioning through broader dialectal variants in later centuries. The term remains common in fire-related vocabulary and expressions about aftermath, heat, and residual matter.
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Words that rhyme with "cinders"
-ers sounds
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