3 syllables: Con, gru, ence. Stress on Con.
KAWN-groo-uhns
/ˈkɔnɡɹuəns/
Congruence is pronounced KAWN-groo-uhns (/ˈkɔnɡɹuəns/). It has three syllables (Con-gru-ence), with the stress on "Con". Congruence is the state or quality of agreeing or matching. In mathematics and logic, it denotes equivalence or harmony between figures, shapes, or statements. It implies consistency between parts and a coherent relation to a broader system or theory.
nounCongruence is the state or quality of agreeing or matching. In mathematics and logic, it denotes equivalence or harmony between figures, shapes, or statements. It implies consistency between parts and a coherent relation to a broader system or theory.
"The congruence of the triangles was proven using side–angle–side criteria."
"There is a strong sense of linguistic congruence between the author’s argument and the supporting data."
"The design achieves visual congruence through uniform margins and typography."
Pronounce as con-GROO-ence, with primary stress on the second syllable. IPA US: /kənˈɡruːəns/, UK: /kɒŋˈɡruːəns/, AU: /kɒŋˈɡruːəns/. Start with /kən/ (like 'con'), then /ˈɡruː/ (rhymes with 'true' but starting with /ɡ/), and end with /əns/ as in 'ounce' without the 'ou' stress. Make sure the /ɡruː/ portion is a tight, single syllable, not a split: con-GROO-ence. Audio reference tip: listen to authoritative dictionaries or pronunciation videos to feel the exact duration of the /ruː/ vowel and the subtle schwa in the final syllable.
Common errors include misplacing stress (e.g., /ˈkɒŋˈɡruːəns/), pronouncing the second syllable too quickly without the /ruː/ vowel, and adding extra vowels like /kənˈɡruːəns/ with an unnecessary /ə/ after /ruː/. To correct: keep the primary stress on the second syllable, ensure the /ruː/ is a long, round vowel, and tuck the final /əns/ quickly after the /ruː/ without elongation. Practicing with minimal pairs can help you feel the rhythm: con-GROO-ence vs con-GRUE-ance (incorrect) focuses on vowel clarity and syllable timing.
US tends toward /kənˈɡruːəns/ with a more pronounced rhotic flair in connected speech; UK typically /kɒŋˈɡruːəns/ with shorter first vowel and clipped final syllable; AU often mirrors UK with slight vowel flattening and non-rhoticity in careful reading but can sound more relaxed conversationally. The /ɡruː/ cluster remains stable, but the preceding vowel quality shifts: US /ə/ versus UK/AU /ɒ/ or /ɒ/. Listen for vowel length, the quality of /ɒ/ vs /ə/, and the speed of the final /əns/. IPA cues help distinguish: US /kənˈɡruːəns/; UK /kɒŋˈɡruːəns/; AU /kɔŋˈɡruːəns/ depending on speaker.
The difficulty lies in the consonant cluster /ɡruː/ between two syllables and the final /əns/. The /ɡ/ in English often connects from a nasal or alveolar context, while /ruː/ requires rounded lips and a long back vowel, which may feel unstable if your tongue isn’t neutral. The final /əns/ has a light, nearly unstressed schwa before the nasal /ns/ sequence; this can be swallowed in fast speech. Focus on a clean /ruː/ vowel and short, crisp /əns/ to avoid a trailing, drawn-out ending.
There are no silent letters in the standard pronunciation of Congruence; every letter contributes to the sound, though the final -ce is pronounced as /s/ with the /ns/ sequence running together. The most subtle cue is the vowel reduction in the first syllable /kən/ where the /ə/ is a schwa. The key distinctive feature is the strong, stressed /ruː/ in the second syllable, which locks the word’s rhythm. Practicing with a slow tapping of the /ruː/ portion helps ensure you don’t skip or swallow it.
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Congruence comes from the Latin congruere, meaning to come together or agree. The root con- means with or together, and grue- derives from gravis/ gruere meaning to drive, force, or to agree; the participial suffix -ence marks a state or quality. The word entered English via Latin in the 15th–16th centuries, initially in mathematical, philosophical, and rhetorical contexts. Early usage often described geometric congruence — two figures fitting exactly when superimposed. Over time, it broadened to any situation of alignment or coherence between parts of a system, such as beliefs and actions, data and theory, or statements and implications. In modern use, congruence also appears in psychology, education, and design, capturing the sense that components reflect or support a unified whole. First known uses appear in scholastic and scientific texts discussing geometric congruence and logical harmony, gradually expanding to everyday discourse about alignment of ideas, values, and forms.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Congruence" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "Congruence" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "Congruence"
-nce sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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