2 syllables: in, door. Stress on in.
IN-dawr
/ˈɪˌndɔɹ/
indoor is pronounced IN-dawr (/ˈɪˌndɔɹ/). It has two syllables (in-door), with the stress on "in". Indoor describes something designed for use inside a building or within an enclosed space. It also refers to activities conducted indoors, as opposed to outdoors. The term emphasizes interior rather than exterior context, and is commonly used in everyday speech, sports, and design to contrast with outdoor environments.
Indoor describes something designed for use inside a building or within an enclosed space. It also refers to activities conducted indoors, as opposed to outdoors. The term emphasizes interior rather than exterior context, and is commonly used in everyday speech, sports, and design to contrast with outdoor environments.
"We hung the new blinds and set up an indoor seating area."
"The indoor track team practiced despite the rain."
"She prefers indoor plants that thrive in low light."
Pronounce as /ˈɪn.dɔːr/ (US) or /ˈɪn.dɔː/ (UK/AU). The first syllable has a stressed short i sound as in “pin,” followed by the syllable with an r-controlled vowel /dɔː/ where the mouth opens to a broad back vowel, and the final r is pronounced in rhotic accents. Keep the two syllables distinct: IN-dor, with a light, quick pause between syllables in natural speech. Audio reference: say ‘in’ + ‘door’ quickly, ensuring the /d/ is clear and the /ɔː/ is a rounded long vowel.
Common errors include: misplacing stress (saying in-DOOR), which sounds flat; merging into ‘indoor’ as a single syllable; mispronouncing /ɔː/ as /ɑː/ or /oʊ/; and not voicing the /d/ clearly, making it sound like ‘in-door’ with a soft/undercooked /d/. Correction tips: practice IN-dor with a strong /d/ and a clear schwa-like release before the /ɔː/; exaggerate the vowel moment in slow practice, then normalise in natural speech.
US speakers typically have the /ˈɪn.dɔːr/ with a rhotic /r/ at the end; in non-rhotic UK accents, the final /r/ is often not pronounced unless followed by a vowel, giving /ˈɪn.dɔː/. Australian English tends to feature a similar /ɔː/ quality with a slightly flatter final /r/ in non-rhotic contexts. Vowel length and quality can shift subtly with neighboring sounds and pace; aim for a clear, two-syllable rhythm, adjusting r-coloring per dialect.
The challenge lies in the /d/ followed by a rounded back vowel /ɔː/ plus the final rhotic /r/ in many accents. Achieving a clean onset for /ɪn/ and a precise, glottal-friendly or alveolar /d/ before the /ɔː/ can be tricky when speaking quickly. Also, non-rhotic speakers must omit the /r/ in coda position, which can cause variation in perceived pronunciation. Focus on the sequence IN-dor: short i, clear /d/, long rounded vowel, optional or pronounced /r/ depending on accent.
A distinctive feature is the rhotic 'r' in rhotic accents and its absence in non-rhotic contexts. You’ll notice a tight transition from the alveolar /d/ to the back vowel /ɔː/ and the subsequent linking with an /r/ in American English. The two-syllable rhythm should stay even, with roughly equal time for each syllable in careful speech, while natural speech often compresses to a quicker IN-dor.
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US: rhotic, keep final /r/ clearly produced; ensure full /ɔː/ quality with rounded lips. UK: non-rhotic, /r/ is often silent after a consonant; keep /ɔː/ long and aligned with the /d/; the /ɪ/ in the first syllable is shorter. AU: often non-rhotic as well, but vowels may be slightly centralized; maintain the two-syllable rhythm and avoid vowel reduction in careful speech.
Indoor is a compound of in- (a Latin prefix denoting position within or inside) and the noun/ adjective door. The sense evolved from earlier phrases such as in-dor or in-door referring to that which is within the doorway or inside the dwelling’s limits. The word emerged in Middle English as a straightforward descriptor of things located within the walls of a house, building, or enclosure. Over time, the word extended to refer more broadly to anything associated with interior spaces, including indoor activities, indoor air quality, and indoor sports. The modern usage solidified in the 19th and 20th centuries as architecture, home improvement, and indoor recreation grew, leading to common collocations like indoor climate, indoor gym, and indoor plants. First known written uses appear in general usage from the 14th to 15th centuries, though the compound form likely predates printed records, reflecting a natural English tendency to form compound adjectives by combining in- with a known interior landmark (door). Today, indoor is ubiquitous in everyday English, design literature, and technical documentation, with a stable core meaning: located inside a building or interior space.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "indoor" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "indoor" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "indoor"
-ner sounds
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