4 syllables: In, cred, u, lous. Stress on cred.
in-KREJ-uh-luhs
/ˌɪnˈkɹɛdʒələs/
Incredulous is pronounced in-KREJ-uh-luhs (/ˌɪnˈkɹɛdʒələs/). It has four syllables (In-cred-u-lous), with the stress on "cred". Incredulous is an adjective describing a person or expression that shows disbelief or skepticism, often with widened eyes or raised eyebrows. It conveys a strong sense of doubt or astonishment at something perceived as improbable or difficult to believe. The term implies a reaction more intense than simply skeptical.
adjectiveIncredulous is an adjective describing a person or expression that shows disbelief or skepticism, often with widened eyes or raised eyebrows. It conveys a strong sense of doubt or astonishment at something perceived as improbable or difficult to believe. The term implies a reaction more intense than simply skeptical.
"She gave an incredulous stare when she heard the ridiculous claim."
"Their incredulous smiles told me they doubted the story."
"He sounded incredulous about the supposed miracle, asking for more details."
You pronounce it in-CREJ-uh-luhs? No. IPA: US: ɪnˈkrɛd.jə.ləs; UK: ɪnˈkrɛd.jʊ.ləs; AU: ɪnˈkrɛd.jə.ləs. The primary stress is on the second syllable, with the 'cre' sounding like 'kred' and the trailing '-ulous' sounds as 'dyuh-luhs' (approx). Start with an unstressed 'in', then stress the 'cred' part, and finish with 'ulous' sounding like 'juh-luhs' or 'yuh-luhs' depending on accent. Pause between syllables: in-CRED-u-lous. Reference audio guidance from standard dictionaries for precise timbre.
Common errors: 1) Misplacing primary stress on the first syllable (IN-cred-u-lous). correction: place stress on the second syllable: in-CRED-u-lous. 2) Slurring the middle -cred- into a quick 'credj' or 'kred', leading to 'in-KRED-u-lous' rather than 'in-CRED-yuh-lous'. Correction: keep medial 'red' as a distinct syllable with clear /rɛd/ or /rɛd͡ʒ/ quality depending on the following consonant; 3) Vowel quality in -ulous shortened too much, producing overly clipped 'ulous'. Correction: retain unfused schwa-like sound in the final syllables to keep 'juh-luhs'.
US tends to a tight /ɪnˈkrɛd.jə.ləs/ with a clearer /ə/ in the final syllables; UK may use a slightly more rounded /jʊ/ in the -ulous, giving /ɪnˈkrɛd.jʊ.ləs/. Australian often matches US but may have a somewhat broader /ɜː/ in the first syllable and a clearer /ə/ in the middle, closer to /ɪnˈkrɛd.jə.ləs/. The rhotics are pronounced in US and AU as /ɹ/; UK typically non-rhotic, with linking vowels in the final syllable.
The difficulty lies in the three-syllable rhythm, the mid-stress on the second syllable, and the tricky -dju- or -djuː- sequence in -ulous, which often becomes a 'juh' or 'yuh' sound in fluent speech. The combination of /ɪn/ + /ˈkrɛd/ + /jə/ (or /jʊ/) + /ləs/ requires careful mouth positioning: start with a short 'i', a crisp 'red' with extended 'e', then a palatalized off-glide before the 'ləs' ending. Audio practice helps solidify the transitions.
The sequence -dru- or -dju- in many pronunciations creates a palatal approximation. The stress pattern on the second syllable is crucial, and the -ulous ending can be tricky because the 'u' can be reduced to a schwa or realized as a light 'uh', followed by a clear 'lous' or 'ləs' ending. Practicing the /j/ palatal glide before the /l/ helps. — This is unique due to the combination of 'cred' and the -ulous suffix.
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Incredulous derives from Middle French increduleux, from Latin incredulus, meaning not to be believed, from in- (not) + credulus (believing), from credere (to believe). The modern sense of disbelief traces to early modern English, with first uses around the 16th century as a general term for a person not easily persuaded. The -ulous suffix forms adjectives indicating having or full of a quality, here 'full of incredulity' or 'tending to distrust what is presented as true.' Over time, incredulous often collocates with reactions (incredulous stare, incredulous laughter) signaling an expressive state rather than a fixed personality trait. The word has remained courtly and formal, often used in literature and journalism to describe a dramatic, questioning response to unlikely information. Contemporary usage extends to both skeptical and astonished connotations, preserving its core meaning while appearing in increasingly varied rhetorical contexts.
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Words that rhyme with "Incredulous"
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