One syllable: Drought.
drowt
/dɹaʊt/
Drought is pronounced drowt (/dɹaʊt/). It has one syllable (Drought), with the stress on "Drought". Drought is a prolonged period of abnormally low rainfall, leading to a shortage of water. It can affect ecosystems, agriculture, and human communities, often lasting months or years. The term emphasizes moisture scarcity rather than immediate weather events like storms.
nounDrought is a prolonged period of abnormally low rainfall, leading to a shortage of water. It can affect ecosystems, agriculture, and human communities, often lasting months or years. The term emphasizes moisture scarcity rather than immediate weather events like storms.
"The region faced a severe drought that ruined crops and strained water supplies."
"During the drought, farmers switched to drought-resistant crops and conserved every drop of water."
"Experts warned that climate change could intensify drought frequency in arid zones."
Drought is pronounced /draʊt/ in US English and /drɔːt/ in UK English, with stress on the single syllable. Start with a voiced /d/ followed by the diphthong /aʊ/ (as in 'now'), then the /t/ with a crisp release. In all varieties, the vowel precedes a velar stop that ends the word. Listen for the quick transition from the /aʊ/ nucleus to the final /t/.
Common mistakes include elongating the vowel into a non-existent /ɔː/ as in 'droad' and pronouncing the final consonant as a silent letter or a softer /d/. Correct approach: keep a concise /aʊ/ diphthong and release the /t/ clearly. Avoid adding a second syllable or inserting a nasal before the /t/.
In US English, /draʊt/ with a tight /aʊ/ and a crisp /t/. UK English often uses /drɔːt/, a longer vowel in the diphthong and a softer, less pronounced onset; Australian tends toward /drɔːt/ or /draʊt/ depending on speaker, with non-rhotic tendencies in some areas. The key difference is vowel quality in the nucleus and the final consonant release.
The challenge lies in the short, clipped diphthong and the final /t/ release after a back to mid vowel; some speakers insert a schwa or misplace the tongue for /ɔː/ or mishear it as two syllables. The balancing of tongue height between /aʊ/ and the /t/ requires precise articulator coordination, which varies by accent.
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Drought derives from the Old English draght, from the Proto-Germanic draugto-, related to the Proto-Indo-European root der- indicating dryness and lack. Originally this word referred to scarcity of moisture in soil or air. Over time, it extended to describe extended periods of deficient rainfall affecting land and agriculture. The spelling with -ough reflects a later orthographic standardization in English where words with diverse pronunciations were grouped under a single spelling; drought’s pronunciation (draut) was historically linked to the idea of dry conditions. The earliest written attestations appear in Middle English texts around the 12th to 14th centuries, evolving through regional dialects before consolidating the modern form and pronunciations. In modern usage, drought conveys a climatic absence of water with social and ecological implications, rather than a temporary weather event. The word’s semantic arc—from moisture absence in the land to a broad environmental phenomenon—mirrors shifts in agricultural practices and climate awareness across centuries.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Drought" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "Drought" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "Drought"
-ght sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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