4 syllables: im, pro, ba, ble. Stress on pro.
im-PRAH-buh-buhl
/ˌɪmˈpɹɑbəbəl/
improbable is pronounced im-PRAH-buh-buhl (/ˌɪmˈpɹɑbəbəl/). It has four syllables (im-pro-ba-ble), with the stress on "pro". Improbable is an adjective describing something unlikely to occur or be true. It conveys a sense that the event or outcome has a low probability, often implying skepticism, doubt, or the need for extraordinary evidence. In common usage, it contrasts with probable or likely and is frequently used in formal and analytical contexts.
Improbable is an adjective describing something unlikely to occur or be true. It conveys a sense that the event or outcome has a low probability, often implying skepticism, doubt, or the need for extraordinary evidence. In common usage, it contrasts with probable or likely and is frequently used in formal and analytical contexts.
"It seemed improbable that the plans would succeed without any unforeseen obstacles."
"Despite his confidence, the team faced an improbable setback that almost derailed the project."
"The scientists found an improbable correlation between the two variables, warranting further study."
Pronounce as im-PROB-a-ble with primary stress on PRO: /ɪmˈprɒb.ə.bəl/ (US) or /ɪmˈprɒ.bə.bəl/ (UK). Make sure the /pr/ is a burst of lip- and tongue-closure, and the second syllable carries heavier stress than the initial /ɪm/. The final -ble is often realized as /bl̩/ or /bəl/ in connected speech. Audio examples: Cambridge/Oxford dictionaries or Forvo can help with the exact sound.
Two frequent errors: misplacing stress (say im-PROB-a-ble instead of im-PROB-a-ble) and softening the /b/ cluster into /m/ or skipping the /l/ in the final syllable. Correct by maintaining primary stress on PRO and clearly articulating /bl/ at the end: /-bəl/ or /-bl̩/. Practice with minimal pairs and slow pacing to lock the correct rhythm.
In US, /ɪmˈprɒb.ə.bəl/ with a rhotic R not present in this word but affects surrounding intonation; UK tends to a purer /ɒ/ in PRO and may reduce vowels slightly; AU follows similar to UK with non-rhotic tendencies in careful speech, but often a flatter intonation. The main difference is vowel quality in the stressed /ɒ/ and the tempo of the /bl/ ending under connected speech.
The difficulty comes from the consonant cluster /pr/ immediately after the initial /m/, plus the multi-syllabic structure with three syllables, and the final /ə.bəl/ reducing in fast speech. Muscular coordination to land /ɪm/ quickly, then a crisp /ˈprɒb/ attack, and finishing with a clear, light /ə.bəl/ or /bəl/ requires careful timing. IPA helps you visualize where emphasis should fall.
A key nuance is ensuring the /pr/ onset lands as a crisp stop followed by a rolling vowel in the second syllable, and that the final /ble/ doesn’t leak into the preceding vowel. The suffix -able typically carries a light, almost whispered /əl/ or /l̩/; keeping the final /l/ clear prevents a slurred ending.
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Improbable comes from Middle English improbabil, from the Latin improbabilis, formed from in- ‘not’ + probabilis ‘provable, capable of being proved’. The root prob- meaning ‘to test, prove, or prove worthy’ traces to Latin probare ‘to test, approve’. The suffix -able signals capability. The word entered English via Old French and Latin scholarly translations in the medieval and early modern periods, aligning with other -able adjectives formed from verbs of testing or proving. Its semantic evolution moved from the broad sense of ‘not provable’ to the more common modern sense of ‘unlikely’ or ‘not likely to happen’. First known use in English dates to the 15th century, but it gained broader usage in the 18th and 19th centuries as probability and statistics entered discourse, enabling precise distinctions between what is probable and what is improbable.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "improbable" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "improbable"
-ble sounds
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