3 syllables: in, va, ders. Stress on va.
in-VAY-durz
/ˌɪˈnveɪdɚz/
invaders is pronounced in-VAY-durz (/ˌɪˈnveɪdɚz/). It has three syllables (in-va-ders), with the stress on "va". Invaders refers to people or forces that enter a territory to occupy or attack, typically through force. The term is often used in historical, military, or video game contexts and conveys intrusion, threat, or conquest. It emphasizes the action of entering and challenging established boundaries.
Invaders refers to people or forces that enter a territory to occupy or attack, typically through force. The term is often used in historical, military, or video game contexts and conveys intrusion, threat, or conquest. It emphasizes the action of entering and challenging established boundaries.
- You may misplace the stress as in-in-VA-ders; correct by giving main focus to the second syllable: in-VA-ders. - The diphthong /eɪ/ in /veɪ/ is often shortened to a pure /e/; aim for the clear /eɪ/ sound by starting with /v/ then gliding into /eɪ/ with a tight jaw and lips.
"The invading army crossed the border at dawn, overwhelming the weakened defenses."
"Researchers studied ancient invaders to understand how cultures spread and mixed."
"The game pits players against wave after wave of alien invaders."
Pronounce as in-ˈveɪ-dərz. Primary stress on the second syllable: in-VAY-ders. IPA US/UK: ɪnˈveɪdərz. Ensure the /ɪ/ is a short, lax vowel, /ˈveɪ/ is a clear long vowel with a diphthong, and /dərz/ ends with a light rhotacized or reduced syllable depending on accent. Practice by isolating the stressed syllable 'VAY' and tying it to a quick, light final /z/.
Common mistakes: misplacing stress (say in-VA-ders), mispronouncing the diphthong as a simple /e/ like ‘invaders’ sounding like ‘invaders’ with a flat /e/; softening the final /z/ or turning it into /s/; and adding an extra syllable. Correction: emphasize the second syllable with /ˈveɪ/; keep /d/ clear before the final /ərz/; end with a voiced /z/. Use careful voicing on the final consonant and avoid vowel reduction in careful speech.
US: clear /ɪ/ in first syllable, stressed /ˈveɪ/ with American rhotic /ɹ/ in the final syllable; final /z/ is voiced. UK: similar, but non-rhotic pairing can reduce the /r/ to a vowel-like coloring; some speakers may lightly syllabify the final /z/. AU: often flapped or approximated /d/ before /ɹ/ or vowel, with less distinct /ɹ/; final /z/ remains voiced. IPA references help confirm subtle shifts: US/UK UA: ɪnˈveɪdəz/ or ɪnˈveɪdəz.
Two challenges: the stressed diphthong /ˈveɪ/ requires precise mouth opening and tongue height, and the cluster transition from /d/ to /ər/ before the plural /z/ can be subtle, especially when spoken quickly. The presence of a syllable boundary between /veɪ/ and /də/ helps, but in connected speech the /ə/ may reduce. Practice with slow articulation and then speed up to natural tempo, keeping the final /z/ voiced.
The word ends with a voiced sibilant /z/, which often undergoes voicing assimilation in rapid speech, especially after a voiced consonant /d/ in the /də/ sequence. You’ll want to maintain even voicing through the final /z/ and avoid an unvoiced /s/. This ensures the plural form contrasts with singular /ˈveɪdər/ in careful enunciation.
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- US: rhoticity means you may hear an /ɹ/ in the final syllable; keep /z/ voiced. - UK: non-rhotic tendencies may reduce the /r/; preserve the /z/ with a clean /ər/ or /əz/ depending on the speaker. - AU: vowel height can be slightly higher; watch for a near-fully rounded /ɒ/ in related words, but invaders uses /ɪ/ initial and /ɪnˈveɪdərz/; IPA references: ɪnˈveɪdəz/ (US).
The word invaders comes from the verb invade, formed in Middle English from Latin invadere, from in- ‘in, on’ + vadere ‘to go, advance’ (root vad- means go). Invas- appeared in the 14th century to describe entering by force. The sense broadened to include any entering or encroachment, not strictly military, by the 16th century. In modern English, invader carries a strong connotation of hostile entry or conquest, often used in military histories, geopolitical analysis, and popular media. The word is typically pluralized as invaders to refer to groups, groups of foreign combatants, or metaphorical invaders (like disease). The semantic shift from “one who comes in” to “one who comes to overpower or replace” reflects cultural attitudes toward borders, sovereignty, and resistance narratives. First known uses appear in medieval chronicles describing invasions of territories and subsequent resistance. Over time, invaders has been used across disciplines—from warfare to science fiction—to denote outsiders or aggressors whose arrival disrupts established order.
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Words that rhyme with "invaders"
-ers sounds
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