4 syllables: Hy, per, bol, ic. Stress on bol.
heye-pur-BAH-lik
/ˌhaɪpɚˈbɑlɪk/
Hyperbolic is pronounced heye-pur-BAH-lik (/ˌhaɪpɚˈbɑlɪk/). It has four syllables (Hy-per-bol-ic), with the stress on "bol". Hyperbolic is an adjective describing language, claims, or expressions that are exaggerated beyond truth or reality. It often conveys extreme emphasis or dramatic effect, typically used rhetorically. In mathematics, it also relates to hyperbolas, but in everyday usage it signals sensational or extravagant overstatement.
adjectiveHyperbolic is an adjective describing language, claims, or expressions that are exaggerated beyond truth or reality. It often conveys extreme emphasis or dramatic effect, typically used rhetorically. In mathematics, it also relates to hyperbolas, but in everyday usage it signals sensational or extravagant overstatement.
How to Pronounce Hyperbolic
"Her story about catching a fish that was eight feet long sounded hyperbolic, but she insisted it was true."
"The marketing campaign relied on hyperbolic claims about the product’s effectiveness."
"He spoke in hyperbolic terms, painting a bleak scenario to stress the urgency."
You say /haɪˈpɜːrbəlɪk/ (US) or /haɪˈpəːbɒlɪk/ (UK). Stress is on the second syllable: high-PER-buh-lik. Start with a normal /haɪ/ then a clear /ˈpɜːr/ or /ˈpəː/ cluster before /bɪk/. Tip: keep the /r/ light in non-rhotic accents; in rhotic accents, the /r/ sounds crisp. Listen for the subtle schwa in the second-to-last syllable and ensure the final -ic is /-ɪk/ rather than /-ɪk/?—the ending is /-lɪk/ as in ‘public,’ so avoid adding an extra vowel between /l/ and /ɪ/.
Two frequent errors: 1) Misplacing stress, saying ‘hy-PER-bol-ik’ with emphasis on the first syllable; fix by keeping stress on the second syllable: /haɪˈpɜːrˌbɒlɪk/ (UK) /haɪˈpɜːrbəlɪk/ (US). 2) Slurring /r/ and /b/ into /rb/ or mispronouncing the /b/ as a /p/ in non-rhotic speech. Practice segmenting into syllables: hi-PER-bol-ic, then rehearse with a crisp /r/ and /b/.
US tends to rhot it slightly, with /ɜːr/ in the second syllable and a pronounced /l/ before /ɪk/. UK is non-rhotic; the /r/ is silent in most positions, giving /haɪˈpəː-bɒ-lɪk/ and a lighter, shorter vowel in the second syllable. Australian keeps a similar US rhythm but with a rounded /ɜː/ closer to /ɪə/ and a non-rolling /l/ influence. Maintain the final /-lɪk/ rather than an elongated /-lɪk/ in some fast speech. IPA references help: US /haɪˈpɜːrbəlɪk/, UK /haɪˈpəːbɒlɪk/, AU /haɪˈpɜːbəlɪk/.
Key challenges: the unstressed schwa in -ber- and the cluster /rb/ after a stressed syllable; the contrast between /ɜːr/ and /əː/ in different accents; and ending consonant blend /-lɪk/ that isn’t exactly /-lɪk/ in all dialects. Also keep the initial /haɪ/ clear so the word doesn’t blur with similar-sounding terms. Practice with IPA and mouth-position cues to stabilize the mid syllable and ending.
No. The standard pronunciation places the 'bol' as /bɒl/ (UK) or /bəl/ in the sequence /bəl/ before the -ic. It never reduces to a silent or heavily reduced vowel; the 'o' is part of the syllable nucleus. Ensure the 'ol' retains enough color in vowel quality to avoid blending into /bəl-ɪk/ or /bɔːl-ɪk/.
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Hyperbolic comes from the combination of the prefix hyper- (from the Greek hyper, meaning ‘over, above, beyond’) and the Greek word balos/balos? (root for ‘throw’ in some forms) in the sense of ‘exceeding’ or ‘beyond the truth.’ The modern English form emerged via Late Latin hyperbolicus and French hyperbolique, aligning with mathematical and rhetorical terms in the 19th century as definitions of exaggerated style and geometry expanded. The term’s contemporary use spans rhetoric (overstatement for emphasis) and geometry (relating to a hyperbola or hyperbolic functions). The first known use in its rhetorical sense traces to the 17th-18th centuries in discussions of exaggerated flair, while mathematical adoption solidified in later centuries with analytic geometry and hyperbolic trigonometry’s development. Over time, hyperbolic acquired its strong connotation of grandiose, sweeping exaggeration in common language and scholarly discourse alike.
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Words that rhyme with "Hyperbolic"
-tic sounds
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