2 syllables: fli, cker. Stress on fli.
FLIK-ur
/ˈflɪkɚ/
flicker is pronounced FLIK-ur (/ˈflɪkɚ/). It has two syllables (fli-cker), with the stress on "fli". Flicker is a verb or noun referring to a quick, intermittent movement or light that flashes briefly. It can describe an unsteady or wavering brightness, a rapid, repeated motion, or a short, quick glance. In usage, it often conveys movement that is momentary and uncertain, as when a flame flickers or a screen flicker appears. The word also appears in figurative phrases denoting instability or wavering attention.
Flicker is a verb or noun referring to a quick, intermittent movement or light that flashes briefly. It can describe an unsteady or wavering brightness, a rapid, repeated motion, or a short, quick glance. In usage, it often conveys movement that is momentary and uncertain, as when a flame flickers or a screen flicker appears. The word also appears in figurative phrases denoting instability or wavering attention.
- Recognize the two primary phonetic challenges: the short, lax /ɪ/ in the first syllable and the reduced vowel in the second syllable. If you over-pronounce /ər/ you create an extra syllable or a drawn-out ending. - Barrier: Avoid turning /lɪ/ into a clearer, longer vowel like /li/; keep it light and quick. - Tip: Practice with minimal pairs to fix the vowel length and coda release. For example, flicker vs. flicker with a more pronounced second syllable. you hear a strong /ɚ/ or /ə/ in the second syllable, practice with a light, quick schwa that barely clears the mouth. - Correction plan: use a fast, short glide into the second syllable; you want the second syllable to be unstressed and compressed. - Practice: say you’re saying /ˈflɪkər/ in a single breath, with a crisp /f/ and a light touch on /l/ before the quick /ɪ/ then /k/ plus at most a weak /ər/.
"The candle’s flame began to flicker as the wind shifted."
"The screen flicker interrupted the video for a moment."
"Her eyes flickered to the door, then back to the speaker."
You pronounce it as FLIH-kər, with the primary stress on the first syllable. IPA: US/UK /ˈflɪkər/. The first syllable uses a short i as in 'sit', the second reduces to a schwa in many dialects. Place the tongue high and toward the front for /ɪ/, then a relaxed, mid-central /ər/ or /ɚ/ depending on accent. Think of a quick, light motion between the lips and tongue. Audio reference: listen to native speech in Pronounce or YouGlish for real-world examples.
Common mistakes include misplacing the vowel in the first syllable (pronouncing it as a full /ɪ/ followed by /kər/ with a hard /r/ in non-rhotic accents) and over-pronouncing the second syllable’s vowel. Also, some speakers liquify the /l/ into a lisp-like sound. Correction: keep the first vowel as /ɪ/ and reduce the second syllable to /ər/ (or /ər/ in rhotic accents). Use a crisp stop before the /k/ and relax the tongue for the final schwa. Practice with minimal pairs like flicker vs. flicker with more emphasis on the second syllable.
In US and UK, the initial syllable uses /ɪ/ with /flɪ/ and a reduced second syllable /kər/ or /kə/. US rhotics produce an /ɚ/ in the second syllable; UK often has a non-rhotic /ə/ or a reduced /ə/ in casual speech. Australian tends to be similar to UK in non-rhoticity, but with a slightly broader vowel quality in /ɪ/ and a shorter /ə/ in unstressed positions. Overall, stress remains on the first syllable, but vowel quality and postvocalic r differ. IPA references help: US /ˈflɪkər/, UK /ˈflɪkə/ (non-rhotic), AU /ˈflɪkə/ with similar non-rhotic tendencies.
The difficulty centers on maintaining a crisp /ɪ/ in the first syllable while allowing the second syllable to compact to a schwa or a reduced vowel; combine with subtle lip rounding and a quick postvocalic consonant. The /k/ cluster followed by a reduced vowel requires careful timing to avoid an extra syllable. Additionally, American speakers may add a rhotic /ɚ/ in the second syllable, UK speakers may reduce more aggressively to /ə/. Awareness of place of articulation and length helps you land the subtle consonant-vowel transition.
Yes. The word features a short, high-front vowel followed by a complex coda: /ˈflɪkər/. The challenge is not the consonants themselves but the transition from /k/ to a reduced second syllable /ər/ (US) or /ə/ (UK/AU). The second syllable often carries a weak vowel and a rhotacized or non-rhotized ending depending on dialect. Focus on crisp onset /fl/ and a quick, light /ɪ/ vocalization, then relax the tongue for /kə/ or /kər/.
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- US: rhotic tendency means a pronounced /ɚ/ in the second syllable; keep the /r/ light and not retroflex if you’re not using a rhotic vowel. IPA: /ˈflɪkɚ/. UK: non-rhotic: /ˈflɪkə/; soft, neutral second vowel with a muted or silent r. AU: often non-rhotic with a slightly broader /ɪ/; /ˈflɪkə/. - Vowel detail: /ɪ/ is a lax, high-front vowel; ensure you don’t reduce to a schwa in the first syllable. The second syllable is often a reduced vowel; practice with a relaxed jaw and lips. - Lip posture: keep lips relaxed but fronted for /ɪ/; for /ə/ keep a neutral position; for /ɚ/ add a light curling of the tongue to indicate rhotacization in rhotic accents. - Timing: aim for a rapid transition between /fl/ onset and the /ɪ/ vowel; the /k/ should be crisp and released into the short second syllable. - Dialect cues: United States often has a more pronounced /ɚ/; UK tends toward a shorter, clipped second syllable; Australia falls between with mild /ɜ/ or /ə/ quality.
Flicker comes from Middle English flickeren, likely a frequentative form related to flick, from Old English flician meaning to flick or strike swiftly. The sense evolved from a rapid, slight movement to describe light and flame that wavers or flashes with a quick, intermittent nature. The noun usage emerged later to describe the brief, repeated movement itself or the light’s inconsistent behavior. Early attestations relate to fire and flame behavior in literature, with the sense broadened in modern usage to include electronics (screen flicker) and metaphorical uses (flicker of hope). The root words carry a sense of light, motion, and quick, repeated contact, highlighting the intrinsic link between motion and transient illumination across historical contexts.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "flicker" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "flicker"
-ker sounds
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