2 syllables: crip, pled. Stress on crip.
KRIP-uhld
/ˈkɹɪpəld/
crippled is pronounced KRIP-uhld (/ˈkɹɪpəld/). It has two syllables (crip-pled), with the stress on "crip". crippled is an adjective or, less commonly, a verb form meaning injured to the point of impairment or unable to function normally. It conveys substantial physical limitation, damage, or hindrance, often with a sense of permanent impact. In broader figurative use, it can describe something handicapped or severely restricted in capability or operation.
crippled is an adjective or, less commonly, a verb form meaning injured to the point of impairment or unable to function normally. It conveys substantial physical limitation, damage, or hindrance, often with a sense of permanent impact. In broader figurative use, it can describe something handicapped or severely restricted in capability or operation.
- You might drop the second syllable’s schwa, resulting in /ˈkrɪpld/. To fix, practice saying CRIP-uhld with a light, quick schwa before the /ld/. - Another error is over-articulating the final /ld/, creating /ˈkrɪp.əld/ with a loud L+D blend; keep a clean, short alveolar closure for /d/ after a relaxed /l/. - Some speakers insert an extra vowel between /p/ and /l/, producing /ˈkrɪ.pɪ.ld/; resist splitting the cluster—carry the /l/ into the /d/ smoothly. - Rushing the sequence in connected speech; maintain a steady tempo with a subtle pause between the syllables to preserve the vowel reduction and final cluster.
"The car was crippled after the flood, unable to run again without extensive repair."
"The industry was crippled by a lack of investment and regulation changes."
"Her ankle fracture crippled her chances of finishing the race."
Pronounced /ˈkrɪp.əld/. The first syllable carries primary stress: KRIP. The second syllable is a reduced schwa (ə) followed by the final /ld/ cluster. Mouth positions: start with a short front vowel /ɪ/ in CRI-, then move to a relaxed, unstressed /ə/ in -pled, and articulate the dark L + D ending quickly. Practicing the sequence CRIP-əld helps avoid delaying the /ɪ/ or inserting extra vowel before the /ld/. Audio cue: think of cripping the word into two clear parts: CRIP- and -pled, with the R-colored vowel initiating the second syllable.
Common mistakes: 1) Deleting the schwa in the second syllable, saying /ˈkrɪpld/ (skips the vowel), 2) Over-emphasizing the second syllable and making it /əld/ too long, 3) Tripping on the /r/ following the initial /k/ leading to /krɪpɹld/ instead of the clean /ˈkrɪp.əld/. Corrections: maintain a light, quick /ə/ in the second syllable, keep the /ld/ from dragging, and ensure the /r/ is a smooth, rhotacized consonant transitioning into the schwa before the /ld/. Practice with minimal pairs like “crippled” vs “cripple’d” (fake contraction) to solidify the pattern.
Across accents, the main variation is vowel quality and rhoticity. US and Canadian accents typically maintain a rhotic /r/ and a clearer /ɪ/ before the schwa, yielding /ˈkrɪp.əld/. UK English often reduces the vowel more, with non-rhotic tendencies in some dialects; even rhotic UK accents still favor /ˈkrɪp.əld/ but with slightly shorter vowels and more rounded lips on /ɪ/ in some regions. Australian English aligns with rhoticity but can feature a flatter /ɪ/ and a crisp /ə/; the /l/ is clear, and the final /d/ remains voiceless. In all, the core pattern stays two syllables with primary stress on the first, but vowel length and rhotic articulation vary subtly by region.
The difficulty lies in the two-part nucleus and the final consonant cluster. You have a short, tense /ɪ/ in the first syllable followed by a quick, reduced /ə/ before the /ld/ cluster, which requires precise timing to avoid a triplet of sounds dissolving into /ɪld/ or /ɪld/. The /r/ in the first syllable also influences preceding vowel length and lip rounding. Additionally, the /l/ + /d/ cluster at the end can blur in rapid speech; crisp closure with the tongue behind the upper teeth and a light contact for /d/ helps maintain clarity.
A distinctive aspect is the transition from the stressed initial syllable to a reduced second syllable while maintaining a crisp final /ld/ cluster. You should carry the /r/ sounding as part of the first syllable’s articulation, not as a separate glide, and ensure the second syllable has a subtle, centralized schwa that doesn’t undercut the /ld/ closure. Practically, think CRIP- and then a quick, soft -pled, with the tongue finishing the /l/ before touching the alveolar /d/.
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- US: keep rhotic /r/ fluent in the first syllable; allow a slightly fuller /ɪ/ before the schwa. IPA: /ˈkrɪ.pəld/; emphasize the /r/ with a gentle, curled tongue edge. - UK: may have more vowel reduction; the /ɪ/ in CRI- can be shorter and the /ə/ more centralized. IPA: /ˈkrɪp.əld/; maintain non-rhotic feel if applicable to the accent, but the word itself often rhotic in careful speech. - AU: tends toward a compact, flatter vowel in the first syllable; keep the /l/ light and the /d/ clear. IPA: /ˈkrɪp.əld/; ensure lip rounding is modest for a smooth transition. - General tip: practice with a mirror to monitor lip rounding and tongue position; record yourself to compare with native examples.
Crippled comes from the verb cripple, which dates to the 14th century, rooted in the Old English cripian or crīpian, related to crīpian and crīp, meaning to bend or to hamper. The sense evolved from “to injure or maim” to “to render unable to function,” settling into its current common usage by the 16th–17th centuries. Historically, the word implied severe physical impairment, often permanent, with social and legal overtones in older texts. Over time, the term broadened in metaphorical usage to describe not only physical disability but any significant hindrance to processes, structures, or systems. In modern usage, it remains a charged term; many contexts favor more neutral language like “injured” or “impaired.” First known usages appear in Middle English medical and legal descriptions, reflecting both bodily injury and consequential limitation. The evolution continues as contemporary discourse emphasizes sensitivity and avoids dehumanizing implications in some contexts, while still retaining its clear, strong meaning in rights-conscious narration and policy critique.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "crippled" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "crippled"
-led sounds
-ped sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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