3 syllables: fu, ri, ous. Stress on fu.
FYUUR-ee-uhs
/ˈfjʊɹiəs/
furious is pronounced FYUUR-ee-uhs (/ˈfjʊɹiəs/). It has three syllables (fu-ri-ous), with the stress on "fu". Furious describes an intense, often uncontrollable anger. It denotes a rapid, explosive emotional state, usually accompanied by heightened arousal and strong rhetorical or physical expression. The term can also convey extreme enthusiasm or energy in non-angry contexts, though its primary sense remains anger-driven and emphatic.
Furious describes an intense, often uncontrollable anger. It denotes a rapid, explosive emotional state, usually accompanied by heightened arousal and strong rhetorical or physical expression. The term can also convey extreme enthusiasm or energy in non-angry contexts, though its primary sense remains anger-driven and emphatic.
"Her furious protest erupted after the committee’s decision."
"The crowd grew furious as the match went into extra time."
"He spoke with furious speed, barely taking a breath between points."
Pronounce it as /ˈfjʊriəs/ (US/UK). The first syllable has a stressed primary beat: /ˈfjʊr-/ with an initial consonant cluster /fj/. The /j/ is the consonant sound after /f/, followed by /ʊ/ as a short, near-close back rounded vowel, then /r/ (American rhotic /r/), and the final /iəs/ sounds like /iəs/. Tip: blend the vowels smoothly: 'FYU-ree-us' with the /r/ kept light and the final /əs/ quickly reduced.”],
Common mistakes: 1) Misplacing stress or reducing the first syllable: ensure the primary stress is on the first syllable: /ˈfjʊr-/ instead of a weak initial. 2) Incorrect vowel tenacity in the middle vowel: the /ʊ/ should be a short near-back rounded vowel, not a dull /uː/ or /ɔ/. 3) Hiding the /r/ in non-rhotic accents leads to /ˈfjʊəɪəs/ or /ˈfjʊjiəs/; keep a clear rhotic /r/ in rhotic accents. 4) Ending with a soft schwa rather than /əs/: avoid a lazy final /ɪəs/; aim for a crisp /əs/ after the /i/. Correct by: practice minimal pairs, exaggerate the initial /fj/ cluster, and then smooth to natural speed.
Across accents, the primary difference is rhoticity and vowel quality. US and AU are rhotic: /ˈfjʊriəs/ with the /r/ pronounced; UK often non-rhotic in some dialects, which can reduce or blur the /r/, yielding something closer to /ˈfjuːiəs/ or /ˈfjʊrɪəs/ depending on the speaker. The /ʊ/ vowel may shift toward a shorter, tighter sound in some UK varieties, and the final /əs/ may become more centralized in faster speech. In Australian English, vowels can be more centralized and the final syllable may be shorter. Across all, the initial /fj/ cluster and stress on the first syllable stay relatively stable.
Furious challenges include the initial /fj/ cluster, which is less common in many languages and can cause a mis-timing of the lips for /f/ and /j/; the mid-back /ʊ/ vowel that must be held briefly before the /r/; and the post-rhotic /r/ in rhotic accents vs a reduced /r/ in some UK varieties, which changes the perceived vowel length. Additionally, the final /əs/ can reduce quickly in connected speech, making the ending sound less clear. Focus on the /fj/ onset, a precise /ʊ/ vowel before /r/, and a clean, short /əs/ ending.
A unique aspect is the exact timing: the primary stress is on the first syllable /ˈfjʊr/ and the sequence /riəs/ flows into a short, reduced ending. The combination of a strong consonant cluster (/fj/) with a central vowel before /r/ requires careful movement of lips and tongue—lip rounding for /f/ and the high rounded /u/ vowel, then a quick /r/ release into /iəs/. The subtlety of the rhotic /r/ (or its absence) across dialects makes this a distinctive pronunciation pattern.
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US: rhotic /r/, a strong /r/ after /fj/; UK: less pronounced /r/, potential vowel length differences; AU: non-rhotic tendencies with vowel shifts, but many speakers maintain /r/ when emphasized. Vowel notes: /ʊ/ is a tight, near-close back rounded vowel; in UK, it can move toward /ɜː/ in some dialects, giving /ˈfjɜːriəs/. IPA references: US/UK /ˈfjʊriəs/; AU /ˈfjʊəriəs/ or /ˈfjɜːriəs/ depending on speaker. Practice with mouth positions: start with lips rounded for /f/ and /ʊ/ close to the vowel before rolling /r/; keep the tongue behind the lower teeth for /r/ but avoid a heavy trill.
Furious comes from Middle English furous, from Old French furieux, from Latin furiosus, meaning “noted for fury, raging.” The root fur- aligns with fieri (to rage) and furor (rage, frenzy) in Latin, emphasizing intense emotion. It entered English in the 14th–15th centuries via Norman influence, retaining the core sense of extreme anger. Over time, the adjective broadened to describe not only anger but also intense intensity or energy in non-anger contexts (e.g., furious pace). The semantic pathway shows a shift from concrete rage to metaphorical intensity, with usage peaking in dramatic literature and later in everyday modern speech. The word's form remained stable across dialects, with minor pronunciation variation, particularly in vowel quality and rhoticity across US, UK, and AU varieties. First known use in English appears in Middle English texts as furous or furieu, gradually cementing the modern form furious by Early Modern English expansion, aligning with related terms like fury and furiousness that share the same Latin root furere/ furor.
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Words that rhyme with "furious"
-ous sounds
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