2 syllables: fue, led. Stress on fue.
FYOO-uhld
/ˈfjuəld/
fueled is pronounced FYOO-uhld (/ˈfjuəld/). It has two syllables (fue-led), with the stress on "fue". Fueled is a verb form meaning supplied with fuel or energy, or powered by fuel. It can also describe arousing or intensifying something, often used metaphorically (e.g., fueled by ambition). The word functions as a simple past tense or past participle in most contexts, and as an adjective in phrases like “fuelled by.” It involves a delicate final /d/ release and a preceding /uː/ or /juː/ vowel quality in many dialects.
Fueled is a verb form meaning supplied with fuel or energy, or powered by fuel. It can also describe arousing or intensifying something, often used metaphorically (e.g., fueled by ambition). The word functions as a simple past tense or past participle in most contexts, and as an adjective in phrases like “fuelled by.” It involves a delicate final /d/ release and a preceding /uː/ or /juː/ vowel quality in many dialects.
"The car was fueled at the station before the trip."
"Her passion was fueled by years of hard work and study."
"The debate was fueled by new evidence and strong rhetoric."
Pronounce it as /ˈfjuː.əld/ (US/UK/AU share the main pattern). Start with the stressed 'fu' sound: a fronted, rounded /fj/ glide leading into /juː/ (like 'few' with a long U). Then a light schwa or near-schwa /ə/ before the final /ld/ cluster. In rapid speech you may hear /ˈfjuːld/ or /ˈfjuːldɪ/ in some dialects; the key is the /juː/ glide and the clear /ld/ at the end. IPA: US/UK/AU /ˈfjuː.əld/.
Common errors: (1) Skipping or compressing the /juː/ into a plain /uː/ leading to /ˈfuːld/; (2) Misplacing the stress or pronouncing it as /ˈfjuː.əl/ with a weak /d/; (3) Dropping the /l/ in the /ld/ cluster or making it a dull /l/ sound. Correction: ensure the /juː/ is a distinct glide after /f/, keep the /ə/ before /ld/ (even if reduced), and enunciate the /l/ and the final /d/ as a fast but audible release: /ˈfjuː.əld/. Practice with minimal pairs like “fuel” vs “fueled” to feel the added /d/.
In US English, /ˈfjuː.əld/ with a relatively pronounced /juː/ after /f/. In many UK varieties, you’ll still hear /ˈfjuː.əld/ but the /juː/ may be slightly less centralized and the /r/ is non-rhotic. Australian English tends toward a clear /juː/ and a slightly tighter vowel quality; the /ə/ remains a weak schwa. Across all, the ending /ld/ is a light, fast release; the main variation is vowel quality within the /juː/ and the degree of rhoticity. IPA references: /ˈfjuː.əld/.
The difficulty comes from the diphthong /juː/ after /f/, which can be realized as a tight, rounded vowel moving quickly into a schwa, and the subtle /ld/ cluster where the /l/ and /d/ are released with minimal vowels in between. Non-native speakers often merge /juː/ with /uː/ or misarticulate the /l/ and /d/ together. Practice focusing on the /juː/ glide, a clean, brief schwa, and a crisp /ld/ release to articulate the word clearly across dialects.
A unique feature is the presence of the optional vowel reduction in the /juː/ sequence, where some speakers may reduce to /uː/ in fast speech (e.g., /ˈfuːld/). This makes the word sometimes sound like it lacks the strong /j/ onset or the /juː/ glide. Paying attention to maintaining the /j/ onset before /uː/ helps maintain a crisp, natural pronunciation: /ˈfjuː.əld/.
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Fueled traces its history to the verb fuel, which originates from the Old French fuil, later evolving in Middle English with influences from French. The sense of supplying fuel began to be established in the 16th century as fuel (noun) and fuel (verb) gained dynamic usage in engineering, mining, and maritime contexts. The past participle fueled appears as early as the 17th or 18th century in technical writing, describing something that has been supplied with fuel or energy. In modern usage, fueled has broadened beyond literal energy to metaphorical stimulation, as in “fueled by ambition.” The spelling with -ed reflects regular English past participle formation, while pronunciation has shifted in various dialects: /ˈfjuː.əld/ or /ˈfjuː.əld/ in many varieties, with /ˈfjuː.əld/ often reduced to /ˈfjuːld/ in rapid speech. The form is common in American, British, and Australian English, appearing in both transitive and adjective use.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "fueled" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "fueled"
-led sounds
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