2 syllables: fu, els. Stress on fu.
FYOO-uhlz
/ˈfjuəlz/
fuels is pronounced FYOO-uhlz (/ˈfjuəlz/). It has two syllables (fu-els), with the stress on "fu". Fuels (noun or verb form) refers to substances that can burn to release energy, or to the act of supplying or powering something with fuel. As a noun, it denotes materials like gasoline or coal used for energy; as a verb, it means to provide with fuel or to strengthen an argument or situation by adding fuel to it. The term is common in energy, transportation, and logistics contexts.
Fuels (noun or verb form) refers to substances that can burn to release energy, or to the act of supplying or powering something with fuel. As a noun, it denotes materials like gasoline or coal used for energy; as a verb, it means to provide with fuel or to strengthen an argument or situation by adding fuel to it. The term is common in energy, transportation, and logistics contexts.
- You may mispronounce the middle /juː.əl/ as two separate, strongly enunciated syllables. Result: ‘fyoo-uls’ or ‘few-uls’ instead of the correct ‘fyoo-əlz.’ Fix by practicing the glide /j/ into /uː/ quickly and keeping the /l/ audible before the final /z/. - Dropping or softening the /l/ before /z/. This makes you say /ˈfjuː.əz/ instead of /ˈfjuː.əlz/. Do anchor practice with an isolated /l/ release before /z/ and use a short but audible vowel between /l/ and /z/. - Weakening the ending /z/ to a sibilant almost like /s/. Ensure vocal fold vibration continues for the /z/; the ending is voiced. Practice by holding a light vibrating /z/ during the last moment of the word. - Tendency to merge into a diphthong or monophthong in fast speech; aim to retain /juː/ and /əl/ as two quasi-syllables even when speed increases. - In connected speech, to avoid a heavy boundary after /l/ before /z/, you may compress the cluster; focus on a clean alveolar transition between /l/ and /z/.
"The car needs fuels with a high octane rating for optimal performance."
"They plan to fuel the generator with diesel fuel during the outage."
" Rising demand for fuels has influenced global prices and supply chains."
Pronounce as /ˈfjuː.əlz/ in US/UK/AU variants. Primary stress on the first syllable: 'FYOOL' (like 'few') plus a light 'z' ending: -əlz. In connected speech, the middle vowel can reduce slightly to a schwa, but keep the /juː/ sequence clear. Think 'few-els' with a smooth transition, ensuring the /l/ is audible before the /z/.
Two frequent errors: (1) Over-splitting into 'foo-els' with a hard o; correct by using /ˈfjuː.əlz/ where the first syllable has /f/ plus /j/ glide and long /uː/. (2) Dropping the /l/ or not releasing it before /z/, producing /ˈfjuː.əz/. Practice by isolating the /l/ with a light contact before the final /z/.
In US/UK/AU, the initial /f/ and /j/ combination remains; main variation is vowel quality. US often has a clearer /juː/ sequence and slightly longer first vowel in careful speech; UK can center the /juː/ toward a tighter /uː/ with less mouth openness; AU tends toward a more centralized starting vowel and a softer /l/ production in rapid speech. Overall, the rhoticity of US doesn’t alter 'fuels' much, but vowel length and consonant clarity can shift subtly.
Because of the /juː/ glide after the initial /f/ and the liquid /l/ before the final /z/. The sequence /juː.əl/ requires precise tongue movement: high-front tongue for /j/ and /uː/, then a light alveolar lateral release for /l/ before a voiced alveolar fricative /z/. Learners often substitute with /juːl/ or /fjuːːlz/ or reduce the /l/; the key is a deliberate transition from /j/ to /uː/ to /l/ without breaking into a long vowel. IPA cues: /ˈfjuː.əlz/.
Is the 'fuels' pronunciation sensitive to the following word’s initial sound, such as when saying 'fuels economy' vs 'fuels energy'? The pronunciation of /ˈfjuː.əlz/ stays constant; however, in fast speech and with voiceless following sounds, you might see reduced syllable timing and a softer /əl/ before a consonant.
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Fuels comes from the noun fuel, which originates from Old French fouail or fouoil (fuel, fodder, feed), from Latin affuiare meaning to heap up or nourish. The modern sense of a substance that can burn to release energy developed in the 16th–18th centuries as industrialization demanded more precise terms for energy sources like coal, oil, and later gasoline. The plural -s reflects standard English pluralization for countable mass nouns when referring to multiple types or quantities of material used as fuel. Over time, fuels also broadened metaphorically to mean anything that sustains, drives, or intensifies activities, much like “fuel the fire.” The term appears in Middle English via Old French influences and became common in scientific and economic discourse as energy systems matured. First known uses appear in engineering and chemistry texts discussing fuel combustion and efficiency in the 17th and 18th centuries, with widespread adoption in policy and industry in the 1800s.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "fuels" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "fuels"
-ols sounds
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