3 syllables: de, vour, ing. Stress on vour.
/dɪˈvaʊɚɪŋ/
Say it backDevouring describes the act of eating eagerly and hungrily, or consuming something with great voracity. It can also metaphorically refer to the thorough taking in of information or experiences. The term emphasizes rapid, intense action and consumption rather than a measured pace.
"The dragon was devouring the castle’s treasure, smoke curling from its nostrils."
"She finished the cake in seconds, devouring every last crumb."
"News of the scandal was devouring the media’s attention for days."
Pronunciation: dɪˈvaʊərɪŋ. Stress on the second syllable: de-VOW-er-ing. Start with /d/ + short /ɪ/ as in “did,” then /ˈvaʊ/ as in “vou” in vowel-consonant blend, with a rounded lip position for /aʊ/. The /ər/ is a quick schwa+r blend before the final /ɪŋ/. In careful speech, avoid making the middle vowel too long; in fast speech, you may hear /ˈdɪˌvaʊrɪŋ/ or /dəˈvaʊrɪŋ/ depending on tempo. IPA: US: /dɪˈvaʊərɪŋ/; UK: /dɪˈvaʊərɪŋ/. Audio reference: you can compare with recordings on Forvo or YouGlish for phrasal contexts.
Common errors: 1) Misplacing stress by saying de-VOUR-ing or de-VAU-ring with wrong emphasis on /ˈvaʊ/. 2) Overpronouncing the /r/ in non-rhotic accents or underpronouncing in rhotic speech, leading to /ˈdɪvaʊərɪŋ/ vs /ˈdɪvaʊəɹɪŋ/. 3) Rendering /ˈvaʊ/ as a simple /aʊ/ without proper lip rounding. Correction: keep second syllable primary stress, shape lips for /aʊ/ with a rounded lip arch, and tuck the tongue for a short /ər/ before /ɪŋ/. Practice with minimal pairs and echo drills to stabilize the diphthong.
US/UK/AU share /dɪˈvaʊərɪŋ/ with stress on the second syllable, but vowel quality differs: US often features a slightly tighter /ɪ/ before the /ˈvaʊ/ diphthong, UK may show a more clipped /ɪ/ and a slightly rounded /ɔː/ variant in related forms; AU tends to maintain clear /ɪ/ and a more centralized /ə/ in the /ər/ portion. The rhotic r in US and some AU speakers can be more audible, while UK non-rhotic speakers may soften the /r/ in /ər/. In rapid speech, all tend to reduce the final syllable, and the /ər/ can become a schwa-plus-r or a quick vowel. IPA references: US /dɪˈvaʊərɪŋ/, UK /dɪˈvaʊərɪŋ/, AU /dɪˈvaʊərɪŋ/.
Difficulty arises from the diphthong /aʊ/ in the nucleus of the secondary syllable and the cluster /ər/ leading into /ɪŋ/. The /d/-to-/ɪ/ onset can be quick; the /ˈvaʊ/ diphthong requires precise lip rounding and jaw widening, which can clash with a trailing /r/ in rhotic accents. Additionally, keeping the stress on the second syllable while ensuring the /ɪŋ/ closure is crisp can be challenging in connected speech. Slow practice helps you lock the sequence /dɪˈvaʊərɪŋ/.
Tip: anchor the syllable with /vaʊ/ by starting with a strong /v/ and a rounded lip entrance for /aʊ/. Then glide quickly into /ər/ without adding an extra vowel, so the sequence remains compact: /dɪˈvaʊər/ followed by /ɪŋ/. Visualize the mouth shaping: lips rounded for /aʊ/ then relax to a near-central /ə/ before the /ɹ/ or /ɜ/ depending on accent, then into /ŋ/. Keep the /ˈ/ stress on the second syllable to prevent a flat pronunciation.
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Devouring derives from the verb devour with the agentive or participial suffix -ing, tracing back to Old French devorer, from Latin devorare (to swallow or consume greedily). The Latin root de- (thoroughly) and vorare (to swallow, devour) combine to convey intense consumption. In English, devour appeared in the 14th century with meanings tied to swallowing or consuming voraciously. Over time, it broadened to include the figurative sense of consuming information, resources, or attention. The sense evolution reflects a shift from physical ingestion to a metaphorical intake with speed and voracity. First known uses can be traced in medieval texts describing beasts feasting and scholars reading voraciously, evolving into modern usage where devouring often implies both intensity and immediacy rather than mere volume. Modern usage includes both literal eating and metaphorical consumption of media, books, or experiences, often paired with adverbs like eagerly, ravenously, or relentlessly.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "devouring" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "devouring" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "devouring"
-ing sounds
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