3 syllables: Du, ra, ble. Stress on Du.
DUUR-uh-buhl
/ˈdʊɹəbəl/
Durable is pronounced DUUR-uh-buhl (/ˈdʊɹəbəl/). It has three syllables (Du-ra-ble), with the stress on "Du". Durable is an adjective describing something capable of withstanding wear, pressure, or damage over time; sturdy and long-lasting. It implies resilience and reliability, often used for materials, products, or constructions. The term emphasizes practical longevity rather than perfection, and is common in consumer goods, engineering, and quality discussions.
adjectiveDurable is an adjective describing something capable of withstanding wear, pressure, or damage over time; sturdy and long-lasting. It implies resilience and reliability, often used for materials, products, or constructions. The term emphasizes practical longevity rather than perfection, and is common in consumer goods, engineering, and quality discussions.
- You: You might slip the middle /ə/ into a more reduced schwa, ending up with /ˈdʊr.bəl/ or /ˈdˌʊr.ə.l/; fix by holding a short schwa /ə/ clearly between /r/ and /b/. - You: Misplacing stress by saying DUR-a-ble or dur-ABLE; practice with clear primary stress on the first syllable /ˈdʊr/. - You: Final /əl/ becomes /l/ or /ɫ/; keep a light, quick /əl/ without adding a vowel after the l; say /-ə.bəl/ with a soft, non-syllabic l. Practice tips: record yourself saying the word in isolation, then in a sentence, then in rapid speech. Use minimal pairs to lock the sound changes, and slow the tempo to build muscle memory.
"This tent is durable enough to withstand strong winds."
"Researchers tested the paint for durability under extreme temperatures."
"They chose durable fabric for the work uniforms to ensure long wear."
Durable is pronounced with the stress on the first syllable: /ˈdʊr.ə.bəl/ (US) or /ˈdjʊə.rə.bəl/ (UK) and /ˈdjuː.rə.bəl/ (AU). Say DUR-uh-bull, ensuring the /r/ is clearly voiced after the initial consonant, the second syllable is a relaxed schwa, and the final /bəl/ rhymes with 'able.' Here’s a quick cue: start with a tight tongue on the alveolar ridge for /d/, glide into a quick /ʊ/ or /uː/ depending on accent, then a soft /rə/ and end with /bəl/.
Common errors: (1) Slurring the first vowel into a reduced sound or misplacing the vowel as /ʌ/ instead of /ʊ/ as in /ˈdʊr.ə.bəl/. (2) Dropping the middle vowel and saying /ˈdɜr.bəl/ or /ˈdjuː.rә.bəl/, which changes rhythm and makes it sound like ‘durbl.’ (3) Over-aspirating the final /l/ or /əl/; keep it light and quick. Correction tips: practice with a tight initial /d/, use a short /ʊ/ (US) or /ʊə/ (UK) in the second syllable, and finish with a soft, held /əl/ without an extra vowel. Fluency cue: say DUR-uh-bull, then slower, then at full speed to lock the pattern.”,
In US English, /ˈdʊr.ə.bəl/ with rhotic /r/ after the first syllable and a short, unstressed /ə/ in the middle. UK English typically renders it as /ˈdjʊə.rə.bəl/, where the second syllable uses a centering diphthong and the /r/ is non-rhotic; the /l/ at the end is light. Australian English often aligns with US in rhoticity but may feature a slightly longer /uː/ in the first vowel and a more forward /r/ or a softer /ə/ in the second syllable. Overall, the main differences lie in rhoticity and vowel quality of the first two syllables.
The challenge comes from the combination of a stressed first syllable with a diphthong or close vowel in the second, plus a light, unstressed final syllable. The sequence /dʊr/ or /djʊə/ requires precise tongue positioning to avoid merging with the /ə/ in the middle. Additionally, many speakers truncate the middle vowel or mispronounce the final /əl/ as /əlz/ or /æl/. Practicing the sequence DUR-uh-bəl with clear, short vowels and a relaxed final syllable helps stabilize pronunciation across contexts.
A unique factor is the potential coarticulation between the first syllable’s vowel and the following /r/ in rapid speech. In fluent speech, the /r/ can slightly influence the quality of the preceding vowel, causing it to be tenser in some American speakers (like /ɜ/ in rapid talk) or even causing a slight linking to /djuː/ in UK variants. Paying attention to maintaining a distinct /d/ onset, a crisp /ʊ/ or /ʊə/ nucleus, and a separate /rə/ cluster will keep the word crisp across speaking speeds.
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- US: clear rhotic /r/ and short /ʊ/ in the first syllable; maintain a relaxed /ə/ in the middle; final /əl/ is light. - UK: non-rhotic /r/; the first syllable often uses a closer /djuː/ or /djʊə/ depending on speaker; keep the second syllable /rə/ with a shorter /ə/. - AU: rhotic but softer; sometimes a longer /uː/ in the first vowel; final /əl/ remains light. All accents benefit from crisp /d/ onset and a distinct /b/ before /əl/. IPA references help you map the exact sounds.
Durable comes from the Old French durabilis, from latin durabilis, meaning durable, able to endure. The root dur- means ‘hard, lasting, enduring,’ found in many words like durable, endurance, durable. The suffix -able signals ‘able to be,’ used in English to form adjectives. The first known uses appear in medieval Latin and Old French texts describing materials that could endure wear. Over time, English adopted durable in the sense of “capable of withstanding wear over time,” expanding to describe products and structures, not just abstract endurance. In modern usage, durable emphasizes reliability and longevity in consumer products and infrastructure, often contrasted with decorative or temporary items. The etymology tracks a long semantic shift from physical hardness to a general attribute of longevity and resilience in materials, objects, and systems. The word entered English through Norman influence, with earliest attestations surfacing in the late Middle Ages as trade and manufacturing demanded longer-lasting goods. By the 19th and 20th centuries, durable became a standard descriptor in engineering, manufacturing, and consumer marketing, signaling quality and endurance to buyers and evaluators alike.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Durable" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "Durable"
-les sounds
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