4 syllables: En, vi, a, ble. Stress on En.
EN-vee-uh-buhl
/ˈɛnviəbəl/
Enviable is pronounced EN-vee-uh-buhl (/ˈɛnviəbəl/). It has four syllables (En-vi-a-ble), with the stress on "En". Enviable is an adjective describing something that is so desirable or commendable that it inspires envy or admiration in others. It conveys a sense of attainable desirability and high appeal, often used to praise a situation, a possession, or a quality. The nuance implies a degree of covetedness that others would wish to possess or achieve.
adjectiveEnviable is an adjective describing something that is so desirable or commendable that it inspires envy or admiration in others. It conveys a sense of attainable desirability and high appeal, often used to praise a situation, a possession, or a quality. The nuance implies a degree of covetedness that others would wish to possess or achieve.
- You’ll often flatten the /aɪ/ diphthong into a pure /a/ or /i/; fix by tracing the glide from /a/ to /ɪ/ inside the stressed syllable. - Stress drift: placing emphasis on the first syllable makes it sound like 'EN-vyah-ble' instead of 'in-VY-uh-bəl'. - Ending consonant: add a light /l/ rather than stopping abruptly after /b/; the true ending is a soft 'bl' cluster. - Ensure the /n/ is clearly released before /v/; slurring /nv/ creates a muddy onset for the stressed syllable.
How to Pronounce Enviable
"Her portfolio is enviable, filled with awards and high-profile collaborations."
"The house’s location and design make it enviable to many buyers."
"She has an enviable work ethic that motivates the entire team."
Pronounce as ɪnˈvaɪəbl. The primary stress lands on the second syllable: in-VY-uhbl. Start with a short /ɪ/ as in 'pin', then the consonant cluster /n/; the /v/ follows the diphthong /aɪ/ in the stressed syllable, then a light /ə/ before the final /bl/. In careful speech, it’s a smooth three-syllable flow: ɪn-ˈvaɪ-ə-bl. Audio references: consult Cambridge or Oxford dictionaries; search for the word with audio, or Forvo for native pronunciations.
Common mistakes: (1) Misplacing stress, saying en-VI-a-ble with primary stress on the first syllable; (2) Flattening the /aɪ/ into a lax /ɪ/ or /eɪ/; (3) Adding an extra vowel between /ɪn/ and /vaɪ/ or over-articulating the /l/ at the end. Correction tips: keep stress on the second syllable, glide the /aɪ/ smoothly from /a/ to /ɪ/ without delaying the /ə/; finish with a light, non-rolled /l/ after /b/. Practice with minimal pairs to solidify the /vaɪ/ diphthong and the final /bl/ cluster.
US: /ɪnˈvaɪəbl/ with rhoticity clear and a crisp /ə/ before /bl/. UK: /ɪnˈvaɪəbl/ similar but often with a shorter /ə/ and more rounded /ɪ/; Australian: /ɪnˈvaɪəbl/ with a slightly more centralized vowel in the second syllable and relaxed /ɪn/ onset. The key is /ˈvaɪ/ as a strong nucleus and a light /ə/ before final /bl/. Pay attention to the non-rhotic tendencies in some UK varieties where /r/ is not pronounced unless followed by a vowel.
The difficulty lies in coordinating the /ˈvaɪ/ diphthong within a three-syllable word and maintaining a light, quick /ə/ before the final /bl/. The /n/ plus /v/ cluster requires clean articulation to avoid blending, and the final /bl/ demands precise lip closure without adding an extra vowel. Practicing the transition from /ɪn/ to /ˈvaɪ/ without pausing helps you land the stress naturally and avoids a clipped ending.
A unique aspect is the strong secondary cue in the transition between /vaɪ/ and /ə/ before /bl/, where the /ə/ should be reduced rather than fully pronounced. This reduces syllabic weight on the final consonant and yields a smoother end, particularly in fluent speech. Additionally, ensure the /n/ remains alveolar and does not spill into the /v/; practice the sequence n-ɪ, then n-ˈvaɪ-ə-ble to lock the rhythm.
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- US: rhoticity normally present; ensure /r/ is not influencing the vowel in this word, as it doesn’t appear; focus on the diphthong /aɪ/ and the schwa onset before /bl/. - UK: slight vowel shortening; maintain crisp /ɪ/ before /n/ and keep /ə/ unstressed. - AU: more centralized vowels; keep /ɪn/ clear, and mount the diphthong with a slightly higher tongue position on /aɪ/. Use IPA guides for precise vowels; listen to natives on Pronounce and YouGlish to feel the rhythm.
Enviable comes from the verb envy, which traces back to the Latin invidia, meaning ill will or jealousy, related to ‘envy’ in English. The suffix -able derives from the Latin -abilis, meaning able to be, granting the sense that something is capable of arousing envy. The modern sense of enviable—something so desirable that it provokes envy—emerged in English by the 17th–18th centuries as a natural extension of ‘envy’ into an adjectival form. The word’s construction mirrors other -able adjectives formed from verbs denoting capability or potential, such as ‘enjoyable’ or ‘predictable,’ but with a social evaluative nuance added by envy. Early uses often described people, possessions, or circumstances that others admired and coveted, rather than simply admired. The contemporary usage typically emphasizes not just quality but the social desirability and attainability of that quality, signaling a level of desirability that is within reach, or at least perceived to be so by observers. First known uses align with literary and rhetorical prose that valorized admirable conditions or traits, gradually becoming common in both written and spoken English to express a studied, aspirational quality.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Enviable" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "Enviable" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "Enviable"
-ble sounds
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