3 syllables: Drudg, e, ry. Stress on Drudg.
DRUHJ-ur-ee
/ˈdɹʌdʒɚi/
Drudgery is pronounced DRUHJ-ur-ee (/ˈdɹʌdʒɚi/). It has three syllables (Drudg-e-ry), with the stress on "Drudg". Drudgery is the tedious, monotonous, and physically or mentally draining work that feels more like a burden than a task. It often refers to repetitive chores or labor that lacks interest, reward, or variety, making the experience draining or demotivating. The term carries a sense of grind, rut, and routine rather than challenge or excitement.
nounDrudgery is the tedious, monotonous, and physically or mentally draining work that feels more like a burden than a task. It often refers to repetitive chores or labor that lacks interest, reward, or variety, making the experience draining or demotivating. The term carries a sense of grind, rut, and routine rather than challenge or excitement.
How to Pronounce Drudgery
"The factory shift was pure drudgery, with the same button-pressing tasks hour after hour."
"She endured the drudgery of data entry until the project finally moved forward."
"To cope with the drudgery of bureaucratic work, he listened to podcasts while filing documents."
US/UK/AU all use /ˈdrʌdʒəri/. Start with the consonant cluster /dr/ followed by the stressed /ʌ/ in DRUD, then the /dʒ/ as in “judge,” and end with a light /-ə-ry/ ending. IPA: /ˈdrʌdʒəri/. Focus on a crisp /dr/ onset, a steady /ʌ/ vowel, and a quick /dʒ/ blend into /ə/ before /ri/. Audio reference: listen to native speakers saying “drudgery” in pronunciation platforms to match the rhythm.
Two common errors: (1) Mispronouncing the /dr/ cluster, turning it into a simple /d/ or blending too loosely. Correction: start with a strong /dr/ release, ensuring the /r/ is pronounced and the following vowel begins promptly. (2) Slurring the /dʒ/ into the /d/ or /j/—people sometimes say /ˈdrudʒəri/ or /ˈdrudʒəri/ instead of /ˈdrʌdʒəri/. Correction: clearly articulate the /dʒ/ as a single affricate after /ʌ/ and before /ə/.
US/UK/AU share /ˈdrʌdʒəri/ but vowel quality and rhoticity affect flavor. US and AU typically have rhotic /r/ with a slightly darker /ɹ/, and you may hear a more rounded /ʌ/ in some dialects. UK non-rhotic variants may reduce post-vocalic /ɹ/ and have a subtly shorter /ə/ in the final syllable. Overall the core is /ˈdrʌdʒəri/ with minor vowel length differences and r-coloring depending on the accent.
The difficulty lies in the initial /dr/ cluster and the /dʒ/ transition. The /dr/ requires a precise blend of /d/ release and rhotic /r/, while the /dʒ/ should be a clean affricate without inserting a vowel—avoid /-dʒə-ri/ or /-drudʒəri/. The final unstressed syllable /əri/ can blur into /ri/ if not careful. Practicing the sequence slowly helps you lock the timing of /dr/ then /ʌ/ then /dʒ/.
The key is the /dʒ/ onset after /ʌ/ and the stable /əri/ ending. Ensure the /ʌ/ is clearly stressed in the first syllable, not reduced, and that the /dʒ/ begins immediately after the /d/ without an extra vowel. Also watch syllable count: DRUD-ger-y. Maintaining a crisp /ɡ/ transition into /ə/ ensures the word lands naturally in connected speech.
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US: rhotic /r/, fuller vowel quality; UK: often non-rhotic or lighter /r/, more clipped vowels; AU: rhotic, similar to US but with subtle vowel shifts. Vowel atlas: /ɜː/ or /ə/ in the final syllable may vary; /ʌ/ in stressed first syllable tends to be centralized in some dialects. IPA cues: US /ˈdrʌdʒəri/; UK /ˈdrʌdʒəri/; AU /ˈdrʌdʒəri/. Consonants: /dr/ onset strong in US/AU; UK may reduce /r/ in non-rhotic contexts but retains /r/ in linking positions.
Drudgery comes from Middle English drudgere, meaning a thrall or drudge—a person who performs hard, menial, repetitive labour. The root drudg- is linked to drudge, which in turn derives from Old English dragian ‘to drag’ or dreogan ‘to endure’, reflecting the sense of laborious, unglamorous toil. By the 16th century, English speakers used drudgery to describe burdensome, monotonous labor rather than glamorous or challenging work. Over time, the word broadened to cover any tedious, repetitive task that saps energy, not just menial manual work. The evolution mirrors social work patterns where routine administrative or manufacturing tasks were common, and the term retained a slightly negative, almost tiresome connotation. In modern usage, drudgery often implies a lack of personal meaning or reward, even when the work is necessary, and is frequently contrasted with meaningful, creative, or engaging tasks. The nasal and unstressed syllables contribute to a clipped rhythm, reinforcing the sense of dragging, routine activity that lacks momentum. First known use appears in Early Modern English texts, with the sense of burdened labor well established by the 17th century, and continued to evolve in literature and everyday speech through today."
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Drudgery" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "Drudgery"
-ary sounds
-rie sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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