4 syllables: knowl, edge, a, ble. Stress on knowl.
NAH-luh-juh-buhl
/ˈnɑlədʒəbəl/
knowledgeable is pronounced NAH-luh-juh-buhl (/ˈnɑlədʒəbəl/). It has four syllables (knowl-edge-a-ble), with the stress on "knowl". Knowledgeable describes someone who possesses a lot of information or expertise about a particular subject. It conveys reliability and depth of understanding, indicating that the person can explain, justify, or apply facts within a domain. The term often implies both breadth and depth of knowledge, rather than casual familiarity.
Knowledgeable describes someone who possesses a lot of information or expertise about a particular subject. It conveys reliability and depth of understanding, indicating that the person can explain, justify, or apply facts within a domain. The term often implies both breadth and depth of knowledge, rather than casual familiarity.
- You might insert an extra syllable in the middle, saying /ˈnɒl.ɛdʒ.ə.bəl/; instead, keep it as /ˈnɒl.ɪ.dʒə.bəl/ with the middle syllable as /ɪ/ or /ə/ depending on fluency. - Another pitfall is mispronouncing /dʒ/ as /dʒɔ/ or delaying the /dʒ/ sound, which breaks the word’s flow. Move quickly from /l/ to /dʒ/ without a strong stop. - The ending /əl/ can become /əl/ or /l/ too strongly; aim for a light, quick /ə.bəl/ to mimic natural speech; avoid a heavy, stressed final syllable. - You may flatten the first vowel to a pure /ɒ/ or /ɑ/; keep it rounded and short, like /nɒl/ rather than /nɑːl/ to match standard pronunciation. - In connected speech, the letters aren’t pronounced separately; practice the fast, smooth sequence KNOW-ledge-ə-bəl to avoid isolating syllables.
"She is highly knowledgeable about medieval history and can discuss primary sources in depth."
"The panel benefited from his knowledgeable insights on climate policy."
"Her knowledgeable comments helped the team identify the root causes of the issue."
Say /ˈnɒl.ɪ.dʒə.bəl/ in US/UK/AU; the main stress is on KNOW-, followed by -ledge- and -able. Start with a short “no” without the diphthong shifting, move to the “lɪdʒ” sound as in “college,” then end with /ə.bəl/ where the second syllable is unstressed. Practicing slowly: KNOW-ledg-ea-ble, then blend to /ˈnɒl.ɪdʒə.bəl/. Visualize: /nɒl/ as “nahl,” /lɪdʒ/ as “lij,” and /ə.bəl/ as a quick, weak ending.
Common mistakes include misplacing the stress (saying kno-LEDge-able), mispronouncing the “ledge” as /lɛdʒ/ vs /lɪdʒ/, and over-pronouncing the second syllable. Correct by keeping primary stress on KNOW-, pronouncing the middle as /lɪdʒ/ (like ‘ledge’ in ‘knowledge’), and reducing the final -able to a schwa-plus-bəl /ə.bəl/. Practice minimal pairs to fix the rhythm and ensure natural flow.
In US/UK/AU, the initial /n/ and /l/ positions are similar, with the main difference being vowel quality: American /ɑ/ for the first vowel sounds like “ah” in ‘north’, while UK often uses a short /ɒ/ or more rounded /ɒ/; AU tends toward a broader /ɒ/ with less rhoticity in some contexts. The /ɡ/ remains hard; the final /əl/ can be more clearly /əl/ in US, while UK may have a lighter /l/ at the end. Overall rhythm stays trochaic but with slightly different vowel colors.
Difficulties stem from the three-syllable structure with the /l/ + /dʒ/ cluster in the middle: KNOW- + ledge + -able. The /dʒ/ combines with a subtle /l/, and the final -able often reduces to /ə.bəl/, making you keep the right timing across syllables. Also, the sequence /nɒl/ and /lɪdʒ/ must blend without a strong pause. Practice helps you smooth the transitions and avoid stressing the second syllable improperly.
Pay attention to the transition between the /l/ and /dʒ/ sounds inside the middle of the word. It’s not a hard stop between syllables; your tongue should briefly release the /l/ into the /dʒ/ immediately. The final -able should be light and quick, so the last syllable doesn’t elongate unnaturally. Keeping the primary stress on KNOW- is essential for natural rhythm.
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- US: rhotic /r/ is not the main issue here; focus on a clear /ɒ/ in KNOW and a light /əl/ ending. The middle /lɪdʒ/ should be crisp but not overemphasized; keep the tongue near the alveolar ridge. - UK: slightly more clipped vowels; expect less rhoticity in non-stressed positions but still pronounce the ending /əl/ clearly. The first vowel may be a short /ɒ/ with subtle rounding, and the middle /dʒ/ should stay alveolar, not retroflexed. - AU: tends to be broader vowels with less tension; the /ɒ/ in KNOW may be slightly more open, and the final /əl/ can be less pronounced, sounding nearly /əl/ but with light schwa. IPA references: /ˈnɒl.ɪ.dʒə.bəl/ (US/UK/AU alike in core segments), with vowel color variation. - Practical tip: practice with minimal pairs that target the middle /lɪdʒ/ vs /lɛdʒ/ to feel the difference; keep final unstressed syllable light to maintain natural rhythm.
Knowledgeable comes from knowledge, formed in the 14th–15th centuries from Old English cnāwan (to know) in combination with the noun-forming suffix -l (as in capable, memorable). The base noun knowledge stems from Proto-Germanic *kunnō-, related to the verb *kennan- “to know.” Over time, Middle English began appending the -able suffix to form adjectives indicating capability or suitability. The sense shifted to describe a person who possesses a substantial amount of knowledge. The word gradually gained prominence in scholarly and professional language in the 17th–19th centuries as education and specialization expanded, reinforcing the association between expertise and “being knowledgeable.” The current nuance emphasizes not just possession of facts but the ability to understand, explain, and apply information in context. First known use in print appears in technical and scholarly writings shaping the modern sense of competence and expertise.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "knowledgeable" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "knowledgeable"
-ode sounds
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