5 syllables: dis, a, gree, a, ble. Stress on gree.
dis-uh-GREE-uh-buhl
/ˌdɪsəˈɡɹiəbəl/
disagreeable is pronounced dis-uh-GREE-uh-buhl (/ˌdɪsəˈɡɹiəbəl/). It has five syllables (dis-a-gree-a-ble), with the stress on "gree". Disagreeable describes something or someone that causes disagreement or is unpleasant or contrary in nature. It denotes a quality or situation that provokes resistance, disapproval, or discomfort, often due to irritability, stubbornness, or disagreeableness of temperament.
Disagreeable describes something or someone that causes disagreement or is unpleasant or contrary in nature. It denotes a quality or situation that provokes resistance, disapproval, or discomfort, often due to irritability, stubbornness, or disagreeableness of temperament.
- You’ll often misplace the main stress on the first syllable (dis- vs. dis-a-GREE-a-ble). Fix: practice tapping the beat and marking the stressed syllable as you say it aloud. - The long /iː/ in /ˈɡriː/ can become a short vowel if rushed; keep the vowel length steady so listeners hear /ˈɡriː/. - The final cluster /-ble/ can blur into /-bə/ or /-bl/; practice crisp /bl/ with the tongue tip lightly touching the alveolar ridge.
"The manager found the proposal to be disagreeable and insisted on revisions."
"Her tone was disagreeable, making the conversation tense."
"The weather was disagreeable, so the picnic was canceled."
Pronounce as /dɪsəˈɡriːəbl/. The primary stress is on the second syllable: dis-a-GREE-a-ble. Start with /dɪs/ (like 'this' without the th) then a schwa /ə/, then /ˈɡriː/ (long E as in 'gree'), followed by /ə/ and /bl/ (the final ‘ble’ blends with a light /l/). Mouth positions: brief vowel in first syllable, neutral schwa for the second, rounded lips for /ɡriː/, then a light /ə/ before a crisp /b/ and /l/ at the end.
Common mistakes: 1) Misplacing stress on the first syllable instead of the second (suh-GREE-uh-bull). 2) Dropping the /d/ in /dɪs/ or slurring the /ɡ/ into /ɡr/ leading to /dɪsɡriːəbl/ without the clear /ɡ/. 3) Not prolonging the /iː/ in /ˈɡriːə/ which makes it sound like /ˈɡriə/ or /ˈɡriːə/ with a weak schwa. Correction: emphasize the /ˈɡriː/ with a full vowel and keep the /bl/ crisp at the end, ensuring the /æ/ is avoided in the second syllable.
US: rhotic, with clear /ɹ/ in r-controlled positions; /ˈɡriː/ maintains a long E. UK: non-rhotic; /ˈdɪsəˌɡriːəbl/ with a lighter /r/ and more syllable-timed rhythm; AU: similar to UK but with Australian vowel quality, slightly broader /ɪ/ and a more centralized /ə/ in the second syllable. Focus on /ɡriː/ in all; the main variation is the post-stress /ə/ and the final /l/ sequencing. Make sure you don’t drop the /d/ in /dɪs/ in informal speech.
The difficulty centers on the sequence /dɪsəˈɡriːəbl/ with three adjacent syllables that require careful stress and vowel length: a short initial /dɪs/, a schwa after /dɪsə/, and a stressed /ˈɡriː/ followed by a light /ə/ and the final /bl/. The long /iː/ must be held to contrast with the schwa; the cluster /ˈɡriːə/ must glide smoothly into /bl/. This combination can cause vowel reduction, mis-stress, and consonant blending if spoken quickly.
No silent letters in 'disagreeable'; all letters are phonemically active. The challenge is not silence but coordination of a stressed long vowel /iː/ in /ˈɡriː/, the schwa in the second syllable, and the final /bl/ cluster. Ensure you articulate the /d/ and /s/ clearly at the start and maintain a crisp /bl/ at the end without assimilating to preceding sounds.
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- US: rhotic /r/ when present in surrounding context; keep /r/ not interfering with /ɡriː/. Vowel qualities: /ɪ/ in /dɪs/ is lax; maintain it without reducing to a schwa in careful speech. - UK: non-rhotic; ensure post-stress /ˌɡriːə/ remains clear without heavy r-coloring. - AU: vowels can be broader; watch /ɪ/ vs /iː/ distinctions and keep /ə/ in the unstressed syllables light but audible. IPA reminders: /dɪsəˈɡriːəbl/ US, UK, AU share core, but rhoticity and vowel quality shift subtly.
Disagreeable comes from the prefix dis- (expressing negation or reverse) + agree (to be in harmony or harmony of opinion) + -able (capable of; able to be). The sense evolved from ‘not agreeing’ or ‘not in agreement’ to describe things that are unpleasant or repellent to the senses. The word appears in English in the 15th-16th centuries, aligning with the legal and moral language of disagreement and objection. Root components: dis- (Latin) + agree (from Old French agreer, from Latin ad- ‘toward’ + gratus ‘pleasing’) + -able (Latin -abilis). Over time, the adjective broadened from mere disagreement to include subjective unpleasantness or disagreeableness in temperament or circumstance, retaining strong formal and slightly old-fashioned connotations in modern usage.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "disagreeable" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "disagreeable"
-ble sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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