5 syllables: con, si, der, a, bly. Stress on si.
kuhn-SID-ur-uh-blee
/kənˈsɪdɚəbli/
considerably is pronounced kuhn-SID-ur-uh-blee (/kənˈsɪdɚəbli/). It has five syllables (con-si-der-a-bly), with the stress on "si". Considerably means to a great extent or degree; noticeably more than usual. It implies a significant difference or amount, enough to matter in a comparison or evaluation. The term is formal enough for writing but common in careful speech when quantifying change or impact.
Considerably means to a great extent or degree; noticeably more than usual. It implies a significant difference or amount, enough to matter in a comparison or evaluation. The term is formal enough for writing but common in careful speech when quantifying change or impact.
- Confusing the /ər/ with /ɜːr/ or reducing the middle syllable too aggressively, resulting in con-SID-ru-bly. Correct by practicing a clean /ər/ with a brief, rounded mouth posture before the soft /ə/ and /bli/ end. - Over-reducing the ending to /bli/ or /bli/ without a light schwa; keep the final /li/ as a quick, soft syllable rather than a hard consonant. - Stress drift, placing emphasis on a nearby syllable (e.g., con-SID-er-ably). Maintain the main stress on /SID/ and keep surrounding syllables balanced by quick, light articulation. Practice with slow-to-normal tempo, then increase speed while preserving rhythm.
"Sales increased considerably after the campaign, far more than our initial projections."
"The project has considerably fewer risks than we anticipated."
"Her performance improved considerably once she settled into the team."
You say /kənˈsɪdərəbli/. The primary stress is on the second syllable: con-SID-er-a-bly. Begin with /kən/ (a quick, unstressed schwa + n), then /ˈsɪd/ (short i as in sit), then /ər/ (shwa-r), then /əb/ (schwa + b), and end with /li/ (clear 'l' plus short 'i'). In careful speech, keep the vowels crisp but relaxed; in fast speech, the middle vowels may reduce slightly (kən-SID-ru-bli). Audio references: try hearing it pronounced at Cambridge dictionary audio or Forvo entries.
Two frequent errors: 1) Misplacing the stress, saying con-SID-erably instead of con-SID-er-a-bly, which softens the expected rhythm. 2) Reducing the /ər/ to a pure schwa in the wrong position or swallowing the final -bly too quickly, making it sound like con-SID-er-a-b/ly-end. Correction tips: keep a steady three-beat rhythm for the middle: con-SID-er-a-bly, with a distinct /ər/ before /ə/ and a final light /li/. Practicing syllable-by-syllable helps; pace with a metronome to maintain even stresses.
US: rhotic /r/ is pronounced in the /ər/ syllable, subtle but audible. UK: non-rhotic R; the /r/ is not pronounced unless followed by a vowel; /ˈsɪdərəbli/ or /ˌkɒnsɪˈdərəbli/ can appear depending on dialect. AU: similar to UK but with more open vowels; the final -bly tends to be clipped, and /ə/ in the third syllable may be reduced. Overall, stress remains on the second syllable; vowel qualities shift: US may have a slightly tighter /ɪ/; UK and AU may lengthen the schwa or reduce it more in rapid speech.
The difficulty lies in the sequence of light, unstressed syllables around a stressed nucleus and the subtle vowel shifts: the initial /kən/ blends quickly, the /ˈsɪd/ is crisp but followed by a weak /ər/; the /ə/ before /bli/ links with the following light /b/. English learners often misplace the main stress or collapse /ər/ into a single schwa or mispronounce the ending /bli/. Focusing on the medium-fast rhythm and keeping the middle syllables distinct helps sustain clarity.
In American and many British pronunciations, the word is four syllables: con-SID-er-a-bly. The /ər/ sequence forms its own mid syllable, functioning as a reduced vowel sound between the stressed /SID/ and the following schwa /ə/ leading into /bli/. Your mouth should briefly firm the tongue to produce /ər/ and then relax for /ə/; trying to fuse /ər/ with /ə/ makes the word sound slurred. IPA guide: /kənˈsɪdərəbli/.
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- US: pronounce the /ər/ with a rhotic r; keep the /ɜː/ or /ər/ sound compact and not too rounded. - UK: non-rhotic; the /r/ is silent before a vowel, so /ˈsɪd(ə)ˌrəbli/ or /ˌkɒnsɪˈdərəbli/ depending on dialect; the /ə/ vowels can be more centralised. - AU: tends toward a broader vowel quality in /æ/ or /e/ contexts and a clipped final /li/; non-rhotic tendencies are common; the /ə/ tends to be lighter. IPA anchors: US /kənˈsɪdərəbli/, UK /kənˈsɪd(ə)rəbli/, AU /kənˈsɪdərəbli/. - General: maintain the secondary stress pattern and ensure the middle vowel sounds are distinct, even if reduced in fast speech.
Considerably derives from the adjective considerable, formed from the Latin word considerare meaning to contemplate, examine, or regard carefully. The root word, considerable, dates to the Latin respectus meaning ‘regarded’ or ‘considered,’ with the suffix -able indicating capability or ability in English. The adverbial suffix -ly attaches to adjectives to create an adverb indicating manner. The sense progression moves from ‘worthy of consideration’ in early English to ‘to a great extent or degree’ in modern usage. First attested in the late 16th to early 17th centuries, considerably appears in texts where a measurable quantity or amount is emphasized, often in formal or analytical writing. Over time, it narrowed from a broad sense of notable significance to its more precise meaning of “to a large extent.” Its usage broadened with statistical and comparative discourse in the 19th and 20th centuries, paralleling developments in quantitative reasoning and data-driven analysis.
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Words that rhyme with "considerably"
-dly sounds
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