Implacable means difficult or impossible to appease, calm, or satisfy; it describes a person or force that cannot be placated or softened. The term conveys stubborn resolve and unwavering stubbornness, often implying relentless, uncompromising intensity. It is typically used in serious, formal contexts to describe opposition or attitudes that resist reconciliation.
- US: Rhotic influence is not central here; keep /ɹ/ out of the word. Vowel /æ/ is bright; keep jaw relatively open. - UK: Sometimes a slightly more defined /ə/ after /læ/; final /əl/ may be lighter; non-rhotic tendency: no added /r/ effect. - AU: Similar to UK with slightly more centralized vowels in fast speech; final syllable may be shortened.
"The general was implacable in his demand for unconditional surrender."
"Her anger remained implacable, no matter what apologies were offered."
"The court faced an implacable opposition from the defense."
"He wore an implacable grimace, unmoved by pleas for mercy."
Implacable comes from the Latin implacabilis, formed from in- (not) + placabilis (able to be appeased), from placare (to placate, appease). The earliest English usage dates to the late 16th century, originally meaning not to be appeased. Over time it retained a tightly negative sense of stubborn resistance to reconciliation or mercy. The prefix in- intensifies the meaning, while placable/placable entered English with the opposite sense. By the 17th–18th centuries, implacable appeared in political, military, and legal contexts to describe states, powers, or individuals that would not yield. The word has retained a formal, sometimes archaic tone, often appearing in literature, history, and high-stakes discourse. Modern usage keeps the strong, uncompromising connotation, applicable in discussions of human behavior, policy, or forces deemed irreconcilable. It remains less common in everyday casual speech but is frequently employed for emphasis in persuasive writing and journalism.
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Words that rhyme with "Implacable"
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Pronounce as im-PLACK-a-ble with the primary stress on PLACK. IPA: US /ɪmˈplækəbəl/, UK /ɪmˈplækəb(ə)l/, AU /ɪmˈplækəb(ə)l/. The sequence models: short i, m combined, stress on the second syllable, and a schwa in the unaccented middle and final syllables. Mouth positions: start with /ɪ/ near the high-front position, lips unrounded; glide into /m/ with closed lips; then /ˈplæ/ where the vowel is a low front open front unrounded /æ/ with a released stop; follow with /k/ and a schwa /ə/ in /əb/; end with /əl/ where the final /l/ is light.” ,
Common mistakes: 1) Misplacing stress on the first syllable (IM-plack-able) instead of the second (im-PLACK-a-ble). 2) Slurring the /pl/ cluster, producing a weak /pl/ blend or turning /æ/ into a diphthong. 3) Mispronouncing the final -able as /eɪl/ or /əl/ without the schwa. Correction tips: emphasize the /pl/ cluster with a firm onset, maintain /æ/ as a clear short vowel, and finish with a light /ə/ before the final /l/.”,
US: /ɪmˈplækəbəl/ with rhotic, clear /ɹ/ not involved here; UK: /ɪmˈplækəb(ə)l/ similar but often a reduced final vowel in fast speech; AU: /ɪmˈplækəb(ə)l/ tends to be even more vowel-neutral in the final syllable, with non-rhotic tendencies in some speakers. Across accents, the primary stress remains on the second syllable; the /æ/ in /plæ/ is generally a long-ish short vowel; final /əl/ may be pronounced as /əl/ or /əl/ depending on speed. IPA references help you tune subtle vowel quality differences.” ,
Key challenges: the /pl/ consonant cluster after an unstressed initial syllable, which can blur in fast speech; the /æ/ vowel in /plæ/ is short and tense, not a neutral schwa; and the final unstressed -able adds a schwa or hiatus that can collapse into /əl/ if not timed. Additionally, keeping primary stress on the second syllable while not letting the first syllable overshadow the word’s rhythm requires precise rhythm control.
Implacable contains a fully pronounced /t/ sound in some pronunciations during careful speech, but typically the /t/ becomes a light release before the /ə/ in slow, careful speech; in rapid speech, the consonant cluster is more likely to be heard as /plækəbəl/ with a softer or elided /t/ depending on the speaker. The unique reflex is the explicit /æ/ in the stressed syllable which anchors the word’s core sound.
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