2 syllables: gam, blers. Stress on gam.
GAM-blurz
/ˈɡæmblɚz/
gamblers is pronounced GAM-blurz (/ˈɡæmblɚz/). It has two syllables (gam-blers), with the stress on "gam". Gamblers refers to people who engage in gambling, especially as a habitual activity or occupation. The term emphasizes the behavior and mindset of taking risks for potential reward, rather than the activity itself. In everyday use, it can describe individuals or groups characterized by risk-taking tendencies in games of chance or betting contexts.
Gamblers refers to people who engage in gambling, especially as a habitual activity or occupation. The term emphasizes the behavior and mindset of taking risks for potential reward, rather than the activity itself. In everyday use, it can describe individuals or groups characterized by risk-taking tendencies in games of chance or betting contexts.
"The gamblers walked away from the table after the last big loss."
"A group of gamblers gathered at the casino, discussing strategies."
"Researchers studied how gamblers respond to near-misses in slot machines."
Pronounce as /ˈɡæm.blɚz/ in US and UK accents, with primary stress on the first syllable. The final -ers typically reduces to a soft, schwa-like /ɚ/ in many dialects, and the ending /-z/ voice is clearly audible. Ensure the tongue lightly taps the alveolar ridge for the /m/ and keeps the lips rounded for the /ɡ/ onset, then release into /bl/ cluster before the final /ɚz/. Listen for the quick syllable transition between /æ/ and /m/.
Two frequent errors: misplacing stress (thinking it’s on the second syllable) and overpronouncing the /ɚ/ as a full vowel in non-rhotic accents. Correct by keeping strong primary stress on /ˈɡæm-/ and reducing the second syllable to a quick /ɚ/ followed by the final /z/. Another pitfall is articulating /m/ and /b/ too separately in the /m.bl/ cluster; keep them connected as a rapid bilabial-mitigation cluster by lightly rounding the lips for /m/ and gliding into /bl/ without a vowel between.
US/UK share /ˈɡæm.blɚz/ with rhotic /ɚ/ in the final syllable for many speakers. In non-rhotic UK varieties, the /ɚ/ may be weaker or realized as a schwa, and some speakers drop the post-vocalic r entirely in careful speech. Australian accents typically preserve rhoticity less consistently, often producing a softer /ɚ/ or even an /ə/ in casual speech. Across accents, the main differences lie in rhoticity strength and vowel coloration of /æ/ and the degree of vowel reduction in the second syllable.
The difficulty lies in the consonant cluster /mbl/ within a single syllable, the length and clarity of the initial stressed syllable, and the post-vocalic /ɚ/ or /ə/ realization. Native speakers move quickly from /m/ to /b/ in /mbl/ without inserting a vowel, and they subtly blend the /ɚ/ into a very short, almost schwa-like sound. Practicing the /æ/ vs. /æm/ boundary and ensuring the final /z/ is voiced helps maintain natural rhythm.
The most distinctive feature is the tight /mbl/ cluster immediately after the stressed /ɡæm/. You should practice transitioning from /æ/ to /m/ then seamlessly into /bl/ and finally the /ɚ/ plus /z/. This requires precise tongue positioning: keep the tongue blade near the alveolar ridge for /m/ and then open into the bilabial /b/ with a quick, coarticulated /l/. Mastery of the cluster yields a natural, fluent pronunciation.
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The word gambler originated in Middle English as gameler, from Old French gameller, with roots in the Germanic word gamel, meaning engagement in a game or pastime. The modern form gambler appeared in the 16th century, influenced by the noun gamble, which itself traces to an older form of the verb to game or to play. Early usage often described professional gaming or those who made a living from betting, evolving through social and cultural shifts in gambling legality and public perception. The term gained broader popularity in the 18th and 19th centuries as gambling increased in urban centers, with “gamblers” becoming a common label for participants in wagering activities rather than mere onlookers. In contemporary English, gamblers often carries mildly negative connotations, implying habitual or excessive risk-taking rather than casual betting. The semantic shift reflects evolving attitudes toward risk, vice, and economic behavior in modern societies. First known use appears in printed English texts around the early 1500s, with “gameler” appearing in glossaries and stage literature, and “gambler” becoming standardized over the following centuries, eventually pluralized as gamblers to denote multiple individuals engaged in gambling practices.
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Words that rhyme with "gamblers"
-ers sounds
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