2 syllables: Craigs, list. Stress on Craigs.
KRAYGZ-list
/ˈkɹeɪɡˌzlɪst/
Craigslist is pronounced KRAYGZ-list (/ˈkɹeɪɡˌzlɪst/). It has two syllables (Craigs-list), with the stress on "Craigs". Craigslist is a brand name and common verb meaning to post or search for items on the Craigslist platform. It’s typically used in online classifieds contexts and can function as a casual verb in conversational English. The pronunciation is specific to an American-origin tech brand, often realized with a soft initial cluster and a final nasal. In usage, it denotes action on the site rather than a generic verb for listing.
verbCraigslist is a brand name and common verb meaning to post or search for items on the Craigslist platform. It’s typically used in online classifieds contexts and can function as a casual verb in conversational English. The pronunciation is specific to an American-origin tech brand, often realized with a soft initial cluster and a final nasal. In usage, it denotes action on the site rather than a generic verb for listing.
"I Craigslist'd my old bicycle last weekend."
"She Craigslist'd a couch for the living room."
"We should Craigslist the furniture before moving."
Pronounce it as ˈkreɡ.laɪst in US, with primary stress on the first syllable. Start with a /k/ release into /r/ followed by /eɪ/ (as in ‘day’) for the first syllable, then /ɡ/ and /laɪst/ where /laɪ/ is the long I and /st/ ends the word. It’s a two-syllable rhythm: CREY-glahyst. Pay attention to the /ɡl/ cluster at the end of the first two phonemes and the final /st/ cluster.; for clarity, you can reference audio models at common pronunciation sites.
Common errors include merging the /kl/ into a single sound and misplacing the primary stress. Some speakers devoice the final /t/ or make the second syllable /laɪ/ sound more like /laɪə/ in rapid speech. Correction tips: clearly articulate the /k/ and /r/ sequence before the /eɪ/ vowel, keep /ɡl/ together rather than separating into /ɡ/ and /l/, and finish with a crisp /st/ rather than an aspirated stop. Practicing with minimal pairs can help reinforce the /kreɡ/ onset and the /laɪst/ ending.
Across accents, the initial /kreɡ/ is consistent, but vowel quality in the /eɪ/ of the first syllable and the rhotic nature affect overall sound. In US and UK, /kreɡ.laɪst/ features rhoticity in the US with a stronger r if enunciated, while UK often has a slightly non-rhotic impression in rapid speech, leaving a lighter /r/ cue. Australian speakers typically preserve /r/ more softly and may reduce the /laɪ/ slightly toward /laɪ/–/ləɪ/. The final /st/ remains a sharp consonant cluster in all accents.
The difficulty stems from the /kreɡ/ onset cluster and the /laɪst/ ending where the /l/ and /ɡ/ share a transition into /laɪst/. Some speakers slip into /kriːɡ/ or overly separate the /l/ from the following /aɪ/. Also, the brand-specific spelling can mislead learners into misplacing the stress or adding an extra syllable when connecting speech. Focus on maintaining the tight /kl/ sequence and crisp /st/ ending, with the primary stress on the first syllable.
Yes. The word blends a proper name with a simple noun, creating a two-syllable first word where the /eɪ/ vowel is prominent and then a final stressed cluster /st/. The brand’s capitalized form can influence perception, but everyday use often lowers the brand’s capitalization. The /kl/ cluster requires careful tongue-tension control, and the /ɡl/ sequence is a common source of slurred or mis-segmented pronunciation in fast speech.
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- US: pronounce with a clear rhotic /r/ and crisp /st/ ending; /kreɡ.laɪst/ with stress on /kreɡ/. IPA: /ˈkreɡ.laɪst/. - UK: slightly lighter /r/, more clipped cadence; practice /ˈkreɡ.laɪst/ with less rhotic emphasis and a shorter /ɪ/ in the second syllable. - AU: similar to US; mild vowel reduction in rapid speech; keep the /ɡ/ and /l/ tightly connected: /ˈkreɡ.laɪst/.
Craigslist began as a brand name created for a simple online classifieds platform founded by Craig Newmark in 1995. The name combines a shortened form of the founder’s first name, Craig, with the word ‘list’ to convey the core service: listing items and services for sale or exchange. The term quickly entered common usage as the platform expanded from a mailed-list community to a broad classifieds site, and the verb form Craigslist (to Craigslist something) emerged as informal jargon for posting or sourcing items there. Its first known use as a verb in tech talk appears in the late 1990s and early 2000s as people described actions performed on the site. Today, Craigslist remains a recognizable brand and a widely adopted verb in North American informal speech, though some speakers treat it as capitalized brand name when referring to the site and as a lower-case verb when describing the action generically in discourse.
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Words that rhyme with "Craigslist"
-ast sounds
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