5 syllables: Ir, re, vo, ca, bly. Stress on re.
ir-EV-uh-kuh-blee
/ˌɪˈɹɛvəkəbli/
Irrevocably is pronounced ir-EV-uh-kuh-blee (/ˌɪˈɹɛvəkəbli/). It has five syllables (Ir-re-vo-ca-bly), with the stress on "re". Irrevocably is an adverb meaning in a way that cannot be changed, reversed, or repealed. It describes actions or consequences that are final and binding, leaving no practical option for alteration. The term emphasizes the permanent nature of a decision, effect, or outcome.
adverbIrrevocably is an adverb meaning in a way that cannot be changed, reversed, or repealed. It describes actions or consequences that are final and binding, leaving no practical option for alteration. The term emphasizes the permanent nature of a decision, effect, or outcome.
- You might rush the word and skip the middle schwa, producing i-RЕV-ə-kə-ble instead of the natural i-REV-ə-kə-ble; slow down to maintain the schwa and final -bly. - You could flatten the vowels, turning /ɛ/ into a dull vowel; keep the second syllable vowel clear (like /ɛ/ in 'bet'). Practice by isolating i-REV-ə and then connecting to -kə-bli. - Misplace stress, attempting i-RE-və-KA-bli; ensure secondary emphasis is subtle, with primary stress on the second syllable. - Final -bly can blur; keep /bli/ intact by finishing with a light, crisp /l/ and a short /i/ sound rather than an elongated vowel.
How to Pronounce Irrevocably
"The court’s ruling was irrevocably binding, leaving no opportunity for appeal."
"She signed the contract, and the agreement was irrevocably in force."
"Once the data was published, the information was irrevocably out there for the world to see."
Primarily stress on the second syllable: i-REV-uh-kuh-blee. IPA US: ɪˈrɛvəˌkəbli; UK: ɪˈrɛvəˌkəbli; AU: ɪˈrɛvəˌkəbli. Start with a short i, then a clear R, then a reduced schwa in -və-, an unstressed kə, and end with -bli. Keep the final 'ly' light but audible: -bli rather than -blee. Practice sequencing: i - REV - uh - ku - blee. Audio reference: consult Pronounce or Forvo entry for exact voice examples to mimic.”,
Two main errors: stunting the vowel in the second syllable (i-REV instead of i-REV-ə-), leading to a clipped, unnatural flow; and letting the final -bly turn into -ble (reduce -bly to -ble or -blee incorrectly). Corrective tips: pronounce the middle -ə- clearly as a soft schwa, and keep -bly as -bli with a light 'l' onset. Ensure the rhythm is four syllables with a subtle secondary stress on the third syllable: i-REV-ə-KAB-lee.
US tends to a crisp /ɪˈrɛvəˌkəbli/, with clearer /r/ and a strong second syllable stress. UK often uses a slightly tighter vowel on the second syllable, with less rhoticity in some speakers, yielding /ɪˈrɛvəˌkəbli/. AU may vowel-reduce more in the middle and show a flatter intonation, also /ɪˈrɛvəˌkəbli/. Across all, the -bly ending remains /bli/; the key differences are vowel quality and rhotic presence.
The difficulty lies in the multi-syllabic length, the mid syllable schwa, and the final cluster -kəbli ending with a light, unstressed -bly. The combination of a stressed second syllable and a trailing -bly can cause rushing the vowel or vowel reduction errors. Focus on keeping a robust /r/ and a clear /bli/ end, with the middle -ə- as a precise, relaxed schwa between syllables.
A unique feature is the four-syllable cadence with primary stress on the second syllable and secondary emphasis potentially on the fourth in fast speech. The ending -bly frequently receives less energetic articulation than the preceding consonant cluster, so you should give the /bli/ a crisp but light finish, avoiding an overemphasized -lee.
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US: stronger r-coloring, clear /ɹ/; UK: slightly less rhoticity in casual speech; AU: relaxed vowels and flatter intonation; IPA cues: US /ɪˈrɛvəˌkəbli/, UK /ɪˈrɛvəˌkəbli/, AU /ɪˈrɛvəˌkəbli/. Vowel quality differences: /ɛ/ in 'bet' vs. /ə/ schwa in middle; rhotics: US is rhotic; UK/AU less pronounced rhotics in some contexts. Mouth positions: start with relaxed lips, front tongue, then raise the tongue for /r/; the -bli ending requires slight bilabial closure before the alveolar /l/; keep the final vowel lax.
Irrevocably comes from the phrase in + revocable, with revocable deriving from Latin revocabilis, meaning capable of being revoked. The root revoc- traces to revocare (to call back, revoke), formed from re- (back) + vocare (to call). The English compounding matured in the 16th-17th centuries, aligning with legal and formal usage to describe things that cannot be undone. The suffix -ly converts the adjective oradjective-like form into an adverb indicating manner. Early uses emphasize permanent legal or moral consequences, and over time it broadened to describe any outcome or decision that is final and not subject to alteration. The term solidified its presence in both formal writing and rhetoric as a precise modifier of inevitability or finality, often in contexts of law, ethics, or irreversible change.
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Words that rhyme with "Irrevocably"
-bly sounds
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