5 syllables: In, cor, ri, gib, le. Stress on cor.
in-KAH-ruh-juh-buhl
/ˌɪˈnkɑɹədʒəbəl/
Incorrigible is pronounced in-KAH-ruh-juh-buhl (/ˌɪˈnkɑɹədʒəbəl/). It has five syllables (In-cor-ri-gib-le), with the stress on "cor". Incorrigible is an adjective describing a person or behavior that is not able to be corrected or improved, often stubbornly resistant to reform. It implies chronic faultiness or habitual wrongdoing that persists despite attempts at correction. The term conveys a strong judgment about someone’s resistance to change, typically in moral or behavioral contexts.
adjectiveIncorrigible is an adjective describing a person or behavior that is not able to be corrected or improved, often stubbornly resistant to reform. It implies chronic faultiness or habitual wrongdoing that persists despite attempts at correction. The term conveys a strong judgment about someone’s resistance to change, typically in moral or behavioral contexts.
How to Pronounce Incorrigible
"The child’s incorrigible mischief led the teacher to involve the principal."
"Despite counseling, his incorrigible habits continued, frustrating his teammates."
"The referee struggled with incorrigible players who ignored the rules."
/ˌɪn.kəˈrɪdʒ.ə.bəl/ in US/UK: stress on RIDGE? Wait: Correct: /ˌɪn.kɔˈrɪ.dʒə.bə/. Let me provide a cleaner: Standard pronunciation = in-kor-rig-i-ble with primary stress on the second-to-last syllable: /ˌɪn.kɔˈrɪ.dʒə.bəl/ (US/UK). Break it as in-kor-RIJ-uh-buhl. Commonly, the /ɔ/ in the second syllable merges to an /ɒ/ in some accents, but the key is: in-kor-RIJ-uh-bəl, with the geminated /r/ and a clear /dʒ/.
Two frequent errors: misplacing the stress and mispronouncing the /dʒ/ as /j/ or /tʃ/. Also, truncating the middle syllable, making it in-kor-ri-guh-bəl without clear /dʒ/ or over-smoothing the /ɡ/ into /ɡ/+. Correction: place primary stress on the third syllable: in-kor-RI-guh-bəl, ensure the /dʒ/ is a voiced palato-alveolar affricate /dʒ/ rather than /j/ or /tʃ/, and articulate the final /bəl/ as /bəɫ/ or /bəl/ with a light, unstressed ending.
In US English, the first syllable /ɪn/ is short, the second syllable /kɔr/ has a rounded /ɔː/ in many dialects, and the /dʒ/ is clear before /ə/; final /bəl/ reduces to /bl/ with schwa. UK English often preserves /ɔː/ more strongly and may show less rhoticity in some regional forms, affecting /kɔː/ vs /kɒ/. Australian speakers typically have a broader /ɒ/ or /ɔː/ in /kɔr/, and the /r/ is non-rhotic; the /dʒ/ remains the same, but vowel qualities shift slightly. The overall rhythm remains iN-kɔ-RIdʒ-ə-bəl in many varieties.
The string of consonants /n k ɒ r ɪ dʒ ə b əl/ includes a cluster at the start and a dense mid-syllable with /dʒ/; the tricky part is maintaining the /dʒ/ sound immediately before a schwa and the final unstressed /bəl/. The primary stress falls on the penultimate- or antepenultimate syllable depending on dialect, so listeners expect a certain rhythm that can vary. Practicing the /dʒ/ in context and maintaining even voice through the /əl/ helps clarity.
Some speakers inadvertently pronounce it as in-kor-ri-gi-ble or in-kor-ri-ja-ble, blending vowels or misplacing the /dʒ/. The unique feature here is the /ri/ sequence before /dʒ/; ensure you don’t reduce the /ɪ/ too much and keep the /r/ distinct before the /dʒ/. Also avoid adding extra syllables; maintain four syllables overall: in-cor-ri-gib-le.
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US: rhotic, clearer /r/ and slightly tenser vowels; /ɔ/ in kor tends to be mid-back and rounded. UK: non-rhotic or weak /r/; /ɔ:/ can be broader; /dʒ/ remains; AU: vowel quality shifts toward broader /ɒ/ or /ɔː/ with less rhotic clarity; final /əl/ may be reduced. IPA references: US /ˌɪn.kɔˈrɪ.dʒə.bəl/; UK /ˌɪn.kɒˈrɪ.dʒə.bəl/; AU similar to US but vowel shifts.
Incorrigible comes from the prefix in- (not) + corrigere (to correct) from Latin, where corrigere means to make straight, set right. The noun corrigium (a correction) contributed via Medieval Latin, and the suffix -ible via Old French -ible, meaning capable of being. The word traveled into English in the 17th century, originally tied to moral or disciplinary contexts, meaning incapable of being corrected. Over time, it broadened to describe habitual, incurable traits or behaviors beyond reform, not just moral failings. Its evolution reflects shifting attitudes toward accountability and reform, carrying a strong evaluative tone that marks a person’s resistance to change. First known use in English literature appears in early modern texts, with multiple appearances in moral and legal commentary as societies sought to distinguish reformable conduct from entrenched, stubborn patterns.
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Words that rhyme with "Incorrigible"
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