3 syllables: Gas, o, line. Stress on Gas.
GAS-uh-leen
/ˈɡæsəˌlin/
Gasoline is pronounced GAS-uh-leen (/ˈɡæsəˌlin/). It has three syllables (Gas-o-line), with the stress on "Gas". Gasoline is a volatile, flammable liquid used primarily as a fuel for internal-combustion engines. It is lighter than water, highly refined from crude oil, and commonly blended with additives. In everyday use, gasoline denotes the fuel itself or a pump-purchased quantity for vehicles and equipment.
nounGasoline is a volatile, flammable liquid used primarily as a fuel for internal-combustion engines. It is lighter than water, highly refined from crude oil, and commonly blended with additives. In everyday use, gasoline denotes the fuel itself or a pump-purchased quantity for vehicles and equipment.
"I filled the gas tank with gasoline before the road trip."
"The car ran smoothly after I pumped in some gasoline at the station."
"Gasoline prices have risen again this month, affecting many drivers."
Gasoline is stressed on the first syllable: /ˈɡæs.əˌliːn/ in many American pronunciations, with an optional secondary stress on the third syllable in slower speech. In quick speech, many speakers reduce the middle vowel and say /ˈɡæs.əˌliːn/ or /ˈɡæs.ə.lin/. Note the final /iːn/ is a long vowel followed by /n/. Practice the sequence GAS-uh-LEEN, keeping the first syllable crisp and the final syllable elongated.
Common errors include: (1) Misplacing stress by treating gasoline as a two-syllable word (GAH-si-leen) instead of GAS-uh-leen. (2) Reducing or swallowing the middle syllable: saying /ˈɡæs.lin/ instead of /ˈɡæs.əˌliːn/. (3) Mispronouncing the final -line as /laɪn/ or /lin/ instead of /liːn/; aim for a long /iː/ before the final /n/. Correct by saying the three-syllable sequence clearly: GAS-uh-LEEN, with the middle vowel between /s/ and /l/ being a relaxed schwa.
In US English you’ll hear /ˈɡæs.əˌliːn/ with a pronounced final /liːn/ and a light, quick middle /ə/. In UK English you might hear /ˈɡæs.ə.liːn/ or /ˈɡæs.ə.lɪn/, sometimes with a slightly shorter final vowel. Australian speakers often adopt /ˈɡæs.ə.liːn/ with a broad, even tempo and a less pronounced rhoticity, keeping /ɡ/ as in gas. Across all, the primary stress remains on the first syllable, with a secondary cue on the penultimate syllable in US discourse.
The difficulty lies in the three-syllable rhythm with a stressed first syllable and a lightly reduced middle syllable, plus a long final vowel /liːn/. The sequence GAS-uh-LEEN requires precise tension control: a crisp /ɡ/ onset, an unstressed /ə/ in the middle, and a prolonged /iː/ ending. Liquidity of speech can cause the middle schwa to collapse or the final /iː/ to shorten in rapid talk. Listening to native models helps you calibrate timing and vowel length.
Gasoline has a distinct final /liːn/ with a long e-like quality that can be mistaken for a diphthong. Ensure the /liːn/ portion maintains a clear long /iː/ before the final /n/, not a short /ɪ/ or /ɪən/. The middle /ə/ should remain relaxed (not reduced to a full /ʌ/). Focus on maintaining a steady tempo between GAS and LEAN, resisting insertion of extra sounds.
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Gasoline derives from gas + oleum (Latin for oil). The term emerged in the mid-19th century as kerosene and light naphtha were refined from petroleum and then blended to create a lighter fuel suitable for early engines. The chemistry and branding around engine fuels catalyzed the word’s usage in North America, where it quickly supplanted older terms for liquid fuels. Early references often spelled as ‘gas-o-line’ or ‘gasolene,’ reflecting inconsistent spelling conventions before standardization in American English. Over time, as automotive technology matured, the word’s meaning narrowed to refer specifically to the volatile, refined fuel used in spark-ignition engines, distinguishing it from heavier fuels like kerosene or diesel. First widely published usage appears in mid-1800s American science and industry texts, with rapid adoption alongside vehicle proliferation in the early 20th century.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Gasoline" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "Gasoline" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "Gasoline"
-ine sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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