3 syllables: in, tru, ders. Stress on tru.
in-TROO-durz
/ˌɪnˈtɹudɚz/
intruders is pronounced in-TROO-durz (/ˌɪnˈtɹudɚz/). It has three syllables (in-tru-ders), with the stress on "tru". Intruders is a plural noun meaning people who enter a place without permission or authorization. It can also describe things that enter unexpectedly and disruptively. In everyday use, it often appears in security or safety contexts and in news reporting. The stress pattern is on the second syllable, and the word ends with a voiceless -əz sound in many dialects.
Intruders is a plural noun meaning people who enter a place without permission or authorization. It can also describe things that enter unexpectedly and disruptively. In everyday use, it often appears in security or safety contexts and in news reporting. The stress pattern is on the second syllable, and the word ends with a voiceless -əz sound in many dialects.
"Security cameras alerted us as intruders were spotted near the back fence."
"The museum installed alarms after a string of intruders were caught on CCTV."
"During the night, intruders triggered the motion sensors, prompting an emergency response."
Break it as in-ˈtruː.dərz (IPA US: ɪnˈtruː.də(z) or ɪnˈtruː.dərz; UK/AU typically ɪnˈtruː.dəz). The primary stress lands on the second syllable: in-TRU-ers. The first syllable is a quick schwa-like start and the suffix resembles -ers with a voiced 'z' in fluid speech. Practice by saying 'in-+trude+r' quickly, then add the plural -s as -z for a voiced ending in most dialects.
Common errors include reducing the middle vowel too much, producing a weak or confused 'tr' cluster, and misplacing the stress. Correct to place stress on the second syllable: in-TRU-ders. Avoid pronouncing it as in-TRU-ers with a first syllable stress, and avoid turning 'dr' into a separate syllable or mispronouncing the ending as -dûrz. Focus on crisp 't' and 'r' sequence, and keep the final -erz clearly voiced.
US tends to have a clear /ˈtruː/ with strong rhotics; UK often has a slightly shorter first syllable and a non-rhotic tendency, giving something like ɪnˈtruː.dəz; AU often shares rhoticity with US but may have tighter vowel quality and a slightly broader -əz ending. The final syllable starts as /dərz/ in US, often /dəːz/ or /dəz/ in UK. Pay attention to whether rhoticity affects the /r/ in the second syllable.
The difficulty lies in the fast, consonant-heavy middle sequence -trud-, where the 't' and 'r' cluster occurs before a schwa-based ending. Achieving a smooth transition from /t/ to /r/ without breaking the syllable can be challenging, and the trailing /ərz/ requires maintaining voicing and a clear sibilant. Accurate vowel length in the second syllable (/ˈtruː/) and a crisp final /z/ are essential.
A unique aspect is balancing the primary stress on the second syllable while ensuring the initial syllable is not reduced too much. The phonotactics of -trud- require a quick, clean release from /t/ into /r/; you should sustain the following /uː/ as a long vowel to support the stressed syllable, then transition to the voiced alveolar /d/ and the final /əz/ or /ərz/ depending on accent. IPA cues help lock the precise mouth positions.
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US: rhotic /r/ is pronounced; English vowels are often lax in fast speech; UK: non-rhotic tendency; AU: mixed rhotic with forward vowels. Vowels: /ˈtruː/ uses a long /uː/; consonants: /t/ with a quick transition to /ɹ/ (or /r/ in rhotic accents); final /z/ should be voiced. IPA references: US ɪnˈtruː.dərz, UK ɪnˈtruː.dəz, AU ɪnˈtruː.dəz. Practice by focusing on a clean transition from /t/ to /ɹ/ and maintaining the length of /uː/ under stress. In US, ensure /ɹ/ is pronounced clearly; UK may reduce the r-sound slightly in non-rhotic contexts.
Intruders derives from the verb intrude, which comes from Latin intrudere, from in- 'into' + trudere 'to push or thrust'. The suffix -er denotes a person who performs an action; thus intruder means someone who intrudes. The noun intruder appeared in English in the 15th–16th centuries in contexts of encroachment or forced entry. Over time, intruder broadened to refer to both humans and other entities that enter a space without permission (e.g., intruding ideas, intruding pests). In modern usage, the sense has stabilized around unlawful or unwanted entrance, often paired with security and defense contexts. The form intruders (plural) follows regular English pluralization by adding -s. The word’s core meaning—someone who enters where not invited—has remained consistent, but usage has expanded to include metaphorical intrusions (data intruders, intruders of privacy). The early senses emphasized forceful entry; today, the term is common in crime reporting, home security discourse, and everyday cautionary language. The phonology has kept a crisp two-syllable-then-one syllable distribution with stress on the second syllable in many dialects, shaping how speakers segment and emphasize the word in sentences.
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Words that rhyme with "intruders"
-urs sounds
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