3 syllables: im, mor, al. Stress on mor.
/ˌɪˈmɔɹəl/
Say it backImmoral describes actions or beliefs that violate conventional morality or standards of right and wrong. It signals behavior that is ethically wrong or corrupt, often eliciting disapproval. The term emphasizes a breach of moral norms rather than illegality, though it can overlap with unlawful conduct in certain contexts.
"Her decision to cheat on the exam was immoral, regardless of the consequences."
"Many consider exploiting others for personal gain to be morally immoral."
"The politician’s immoral conduct damaged public trust."
Say it as /ɪˈmɔːr.əl/ in US/UK/AU, with the stress on the second syllable: im-MOR-al. The vowel in the first syllable is a short, lax /ɪ/, the middle vowel is a long /ɔː/ like ‘law’ in many accents, and the final syllable is a reduced /əl/ with a light schwa before the l. You’ll start with a quick, clean /ɪ/ then move to a prominent /ɔː/ and finish with a soft /əl/.
Common errors include misplacing the stress (say i-MOR-al), pronouncing /ɒ/ instead of /ɔː/ in American vowels, and making the final /əl/ as a full syllable /əl/ rather than a quick, unstressed /əl/. Correct by emphasizing the second syllable with a longer /ɔː/ vowel and reducing the final syllable to a light /əl/ or /əl/ with a soft schwa before l. Practice with the word in phrases to feel the rhythm.
In US English, /ɪˈmɔːr.əl/ with a rhotic /ɹ/ in mor-, the /ɔː/ may be a bit more open. UK English often features a non-rhotic /ɪˈmɔː.l/ with a crisper, non-rhotic final syllable; the /ɔː/ may be slightly shorter. Australian English tends toward /ɪˈmɔː.rəl/ with a broad, slightly nasal vowel in the first syllable and a lighter, quick /r/ or non-rhotic depending on speaker. IPA references align with standard dictionaries.
The challenge lies in the two-stress pattern and the mid-back vowel /ɔː/ that doesn’t exist in all learners’ first languages, plus the final /əl/ which can reduce to a soft schwa in fluent speech. Clearing the /ɔː/ tension and easing into a light, quick /əl/ helps prevent over-articulating the final syllable. Also, maintain clear boundary between mor- and -al to avoid blending.
The key feature is the secondary syllable stress on /mɔːr/ and the clear onset /m/ followed by a steady /ɔː/. The final /əl/ should be light and quick, not a full vowel. Practically, you pronounce it as im-MOR-əl, with a short /ɪ/ in the first syllable, and ensure the /ɔː/ is prolonged slightly to give rhythm without dragging the ending.
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Immoral comes from the prefix in- (a negation) + moral, derived from the Latin moralem, from mos, moris meaning habit or custom. The form moral entered English via Old French morale and Latin-based traditions during the Middle Ages, shifting from “pertaining to moral law” to “not conforming to moral law.” Early uses framed acts as perverse against established norms; by the 17th–18th centuries, immoral began to regularly modify actions or character rather than abstract doctrine. Its sense broadened with the rise of secular ethics, distinguishing private morality from public legality. First known use in English can be traced to late 15th century manuscripts, but widespread adoption occurred in the Early Modern period as moral philosophy matured and English vocabulary expanded to describe behaviorunacceptable by communal standards.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "immoral" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "immoral" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "immoral"
-mal sounds
-re) sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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