KRIP-uh-ling
/ˈkɹɪpəlɪŋ/
crippling is pronounced KRIP-uh-ling (/ˈkɹɪpəlɪŋ/). Crippling describes something that severely incapacitates or disables, or causes great difficulty or damage. It often refers to physical impairment or severely limiting effects, as in injuries, disease, or bureaucratic obstacles. The term conveys extreme severity and can be used metaphorically for non-physical effects like crippling debt or crippling doubt.
Crippling describes something that severely incapacitates or disables, or causes great difficulty or damage. It often refers to physical impairment or severely limiting effects, as in injuries, disease, or bureaucratic obstacles. The term conveys extreme severity and can be used metaphorically for non-physical effects like crippling debt or crippling doubt.
- You may overemphasize the second syllable, saying kri-PLING or krɪp-LING with a heavy 'ling' reduction. Fix by enforcing primary stress on CRIP- and keeping the second syllable short. - Another mistake is merging /krɪ/ and /pl/ into a single ambiguous sound, like krɪplɪŋ with a blurred boundary. Practice with slow, deliberate onset: /krɪ/ then a crisp /p/ release into /lɪŋ/. - Some learners consonant-cluster confusion: confusing /pl/ with /bl/ or inserting a vowel, yielding /kɹɪ.blɪŋ/; ensure a clear /p/ release followed by /l/ immediately. - Vowel drift: lengthening /ɪ/ in both syllables; keep /ɪ/ short in both, particularly the first syllable to preserve rhythm.
"The accident left him with crippling injuries that required long rehabilitation."
"Crippling debt can make it hard to start a new business."
"The bureaucracy created crippling delays that stalled the project for months."
It is pronounced /ˈkrɪp.lɪŋ/. Primary stress is on the first syllable: CRIP-. The vowel in the first syllable is short i as in kit, and the second syllable uses a schwa-like reduced vowel or a short i, depending on pace, giving -pling. Mouth position: start with a short, tight vowel, then a light release into a quick, soft 'pling' with the tongue near the alveolar ridge for the -pl- cluster and a final velar nasal -ŋ. See examples: /ˈkrɪp.lɪŋ/ in careful speech; in fast speech you may hear /ˈkrɪp.lɪŋ/ with less aspiration on the p. Audio reference: you can compare in pronunciation apps or Forvo with native speakers saying “crippling.”
Two common errors: (1) misplacing the stress or making it flat, saying crʌpling or kri-PLING; ensure primary stress on CRIP-. (2) confusing the -pl- cluster, pronouncing it as -p-l- with a heavy plosive; instead keep a light pl- onset with a quick transition to -ing. Also watch for vowel quality in the second syllable; avoid a long /iː/; use /ɪ/ as in kit. Practice the transition from /krɪ/ to /plɪŋ/ with a smooth glide, not a complete vowel change.
US/UK/AU share /ˈkrɪp.lɪŋ/ with the same syllable count; the main differences are vowel quality and rhoticity. US often has rhoticity with clear /ɹ/; UK typically has non-rhotic influence in some accents, but /ˈkrɪp.lɪŋ/ remains close. AU tends toward similar to General American but with subtle vowel flattening. Vowel duration can be slightly longer in British English; the -ing ending may be more lax in informal speech (crípling). Focus on maintaining the /ɪ/ in both syllables and the /ŋ/ at the end in all regions.
Difficulties center on the -pl- cluster, which demands a rapid, precise coordination of the alveolar plosive /p/ with the liquid /l/ and the nasal /ŋ/ in the coda. The first syllable’s /ɪ/ is short and needs crisp articulation to avoid an overlong vowel. Additionally, maintaining the primary stress on the first syllable while the second syllable reduces is a common slip. Practicing 2-3 minimal pairs and slow-to-fast drills helps stabilize the transition from /krɪ/ to /plɪŋ/ with clean /p/ release and a clear /ŋ/ closure.
A unique aspect is the tight transition from /krɪ/ to /plɪŋ/ across the boundary; avoid inserting a vowel between /r/ and /p/—it should feel like /krɪplɪŋ/ with no extra vowel syllable. Also be mindful of the /ɪ/ in the second syllable not drifting toward /iː/ in careful speech. In rapid speech, the /p/ can become partially unreleased or lightly aspirated, but the /ŋ/ should stay clear. IPA guide: /ˈkrɪp.lɪŋ/.
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- US: /ˈkrɪp.lɪŋ/ with a rhotic /ɹ/; keep the final -ing as a short, clipped -ɪŋ, not a drawn-out -iŋ. - UK: /ˈkrɪp.lɪŋ/ often with slightly crisper consonants and less vowel length; maintain non-rhotic tendencies but /ɹ/ can be faint; stress stays on CRIP-. - AU: /ˈkrɪp.lɪŋ/ similar to US, but with a more centralized vowel pitch and a slightly more relaxed /ŋ/; avoid vowel reduction in careful speech. Use IPA: /ˈkrɪp.lɪŋ/ for all three variants. - General tips: keep jaw relatively relaxed for the /ɪ/ vowels, avoid tensing the lips; the /p/ should be a light, quick release; /l/ should be clear but not overly heavy; end with a clean /ŋ/.
Crippling comes from cripple, from Middle English cripplen, likely from Old English cræppel ‘a lump, clumsy person’ or cripsian ‘to cripple’, with related forms in various Germanic languages. The sense evolved from meaning a physical deformity or disability to a broader metaphorical use of causing severe impairment or hindrance. In English, cripple itself may derive from earlier Proto-Germanic roots, with the modern verb form emerging in Middle English and gaining traction in Early Modern English for both literal disability and figurative impediment. By the 19th and 20th centuries, crippling configured phrases like crippling debt and crippling anxiety, intensifying the emotional and systemic weight of the adjective. First known use as a compound adjectival form appears in medical and legal discourse before becoming common in everyday metaphorical English.
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Words that rhyme with "crippling"
-ing sounds
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