One syllable: Gore.
gawr
/ɡɔɹ/
Gore is pronounced gawr (/ɡɔɹ/). It has one syllable (Gore), with the stress on "Gore". Gore is a noun referring to bloodshed, usually in a violent or gruesome context. It can also denote a triangular section of fabric sewn into a garment or a region of a plant tissue. In common usage, it appears in discussions of violence, injury, or dramatic scenes, and in textile terminology to describe a piece cut or shaped as a gore panel.
nounGore is a noun referring to bloodshed, usually in a violent or gruesome context. It can also denote a triangular section of fabric sewn into a garment or a region of a plant tissue. In common usage, it appears in discussions of violence, injury, or dramatic scenes, and in textile terminology to describe a piece cut or shaped as a gore panel.
- Common phonetic pitfalls include misplacing the tongue too far forward, producing an /æ/ or /æː/ sound instead of back /ɔː/; fix by centralizing the tongue and dropping the jaw slightly to create a true back rounded vowel. - Another error is dropping the /ɹ/, giving a non-rhotic /ɡɔ/; ensure a light, retroflex-esque lift of the tongue tip toward the alveolar ridge to realize /ɹ/. - Final consonant error: some learners omit or soften the /ɹ/ in rapid speech, making gore sound more like /ɡɔː/; practice with a lingering /ɹ/ for a more natural end. Correction tips: exaggerate the /ɔː/ to hold the vowel longer before the /ɹ/, place the tongue high lightly behind the teeth, and shape the lips into a compact roundness. Use minimal pairs like go /ɡoʊ/ vs gore /ɡɔːɹ/ to isolate the vowel and rhotic difference, record yourself, and compare with a native speaker to adjust the timing. Practice in slow, controlled steps, then speed up while preserving vowel stability and /ɹ/ clarity. Regularly practice with tongue-position checks using a mirror and IPA-based cues.
How to Pronounce Gore
"The documentary included footage of gore that was too graphic for some viewers."
"The designer added a red gore panel to the dress to create a striking silhouette."
"The field report noted the gore on the battlefield as a grim reminder of the conflict."
Gore is pronounced with a single monosyllable: /ɡɔːr/ in UK and US rhotic accents, commonly written as /ɡɔɹ/ in US dictionaries. The vowel is a long open-mid back rounded vowel; lips are rounded, jaw slightly dropped, with the tongue low-mid in the mouth. Stress is on the sole syllable. In American English you’ll hear the rhotic /ɹ/ at the end. In casual speech, you may notice a slight reduction in non-stressed vowels in surrounding phrases. Audio example: say “gore” as one smooth syllable, with a clear long /ɔː/ vowel and a soft final /ɹ/.”,
Two common errors: 1) Pronouncing with a short /ɔ/ as in 'got', which sounds dull and lacks the open-mid back quality; correct by elongating to /ɔː/. 2) Skipping the rhotic ending in non-rhotic speakers, producing /ɡɔ/ without the /ɹ/. Fix by tipping the tongue to sweep up to the alveolar ridge for /ɹ/. Practice slowly: /ɡɔːr/ with relaxed lips. Listen for the full, rounded quality and steady /ɹ/ release in connected speech.
In US English, final /ɹ/ is pronounced with full rhoticity: /ɡɔɹ/. UK English often has a lengthened /ɔː/ with non-rhoticity in some varieties, resulting in /ɡɔː/ or a shorter /ɔː/ without the post-vocalic /ɹ/ in some older phonologies. Australian English tends toward /ɡɔː/ with a subtle rhotic influence in stressed syllables and a rounded vowel; some speakers show a slight vowel height difference and less pronounced r-coloring. In all, the main distinguisher is rhoticity and vowel length. Try listening to US, UK, AU pronunciations and note the presence or absence and quality of the /ɹ/.
The main challenge is the combination of a vowel that sits between open-mid and open-back and the final rhotic consonant which many learners produce as a vowel-only ending. Additionally, US speakers pronounce /ɹ/ strongly, while many non-native speakers either omit or compress it, altering recognition. The subtle rounding of /ɔ/ and the tongue’s back position can be hard to stabilize, especially in rapid speech or when surrounding consonant clusters appear. Focus on maintaining a steady tongue height and a light, controlled /ɹ/ release.
Gore is a single-syllable word with a prominent back vowel and an ‘r’ ending for rhotic accents. Your mouth should form a rounded, open back vowel: lips rounded, jaw lowered about 3–4 mm, tongue relaxed in the back, tip near the alveolar ridge but not touching. Finish with a crisp /ɹ/ by elevating the tip to lightly touch the alveolar ridge without curling the tongue excessively. IPA: /ɡɔːɹ/ (US) or /ɡɔː/ (UK non-rhotic varieties). Practice with slow, then normal timing, ensuring the vowel length remains stable even as you release the /ɹ/.
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- US: pronounce /ɡɔɹ/ with a full rhotic ending; ensure a clear, audible /ɹ/ by lifting the tongue tip toward the alveolar ridge and letting air flow evenly. Lip rounding should remain consistent as the vowel settles, with the jaw lowered about 4–6 mm. - UK: many varieties: /ɡɔː/ with non-rhotic endings; the vowel is longer and more tense, less lip rounding than US. Keep the back vowel stable, avoid over-rolling the /ɹ/ since in some accents it may be silent. - AU: often /ɡɔː/ with mild rhoticity; maintain a rounded, open back vowel and a gentle /ɹ/ or a tap depending on the speaker. IPA references emphasize /ɔː/ for the vowel; be aware of rhotic shifts in connected speech.
Gore originates from Old English gar or gār meaning stab or spear, evolving through Germanic roots to describe bloodshed. By Middle English, gore referred to a triangular piece of fabric used to widen or shape garments, a sense that reflects its geometric connotation of triangular shape. The core sense related to injury and bloodshed appeared in the 14th–15th centuries in legal and medical texts, gradually expanding into common usage to denote both literal blood gore and figurative excess or intensity. The textile sense persists in heraldry and fashion, where “gore” panels create dramatic lines. Over time, gore has also entered metaphorical domains, e.g., emotional gore in storytelling, while maintaining a strong visceral association with red, viscous content. First known uses appear in varied medieval manuscripts, with the fabric sense prominent in architectural and garment terminology by the early modern period. In contemporary usage, gore remains tied to violent or graphic imagery, yet it also endures as a precise technical term in textile design and construction.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Gore" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "Gore" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "Gore"
-ore sounds
-oor sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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