2 syllables: Lad, der. Stress on Lad.
LAD-ur
/ˈlædɚ/
Ladder is pronounced LAD-ur (/ˈlædɚ/). It has two syllables (Lad-der), with the stress on "Lad". Ladder is a portable or fixed runged device used for climbing, typically consisting of two side rails connected by evenly spaced steps. It can refer to either a household household ladder or a wartime or metaphorical ladder of progression. The term is used across contexts, from construction to metaphorical rankings.
nounLadder is a portable or fixed runged device used for climbing, typically consisting of two side rails connected by evenly spaced steps. It can refer to either a household household ladder or a wartime or metaphorical ladder of progression. The term is used across contexts, from construction to metaphorical rankings.
"She climbed the ladder to reach the high shelf."
"The company's ladder of success looked steeper after the market crash."
"Please hand me the ladder so I can fix the gutter."
Pronounce as LAD-der, with primary stress on the first syllable. IPA: US /ˈlædər/, UK /ˈlædə/; note the first vowel is a short open front lax /æ/ and the second syllable has a schwa /ə/ or reduced vowel depending on speed. The /d/ is a clear, voiced stop, not a flap. In connected speech, you may hear a lighter second syllable: /ˈlædə/. Sounds: start with the mouth wide for /æ/, then close quickly for /d/, relax into /ə/ for the final syllable.
Common errors include turning the first syllable into a long 'laa' or merging /d/ with a following /r/ as a /dr/ cluster, and reducing the /æ/ to a neutral vowel in fast speech. To correct: keep the /æ/ crisp and short, release the /d/ clearly before gliding to a relaxed /ə/ in the second syllable, and avoid adding an extra vowel between /d/ and /ər/; end with a light /ə/ or /ɚ/ depending on accent.
US pronunciation emphasizes /ˈlædər/ with a rhotic /r/, fully pronounced /ɹ/ before the final vowel. UK often yields /ˈlædə/ with a less pronounced post-vocalic /r/ (non-rhotic) depending on region, sometimes a shorter second syllable. Australian tends toward /ˈlædə/ with a clear but slightly subdued /ə/ and a non-rhotic or lightly rhotic tendency; overall the first syllable remains stressed. Pay attention to rhoticity and vowel quality changes in final syllable.
Two main challenges: the short /æ/ vowel in the first syllable can be unfamiliar for speakers whose native language uses a different front vowel; and the second syllable /ər/ (or /ə/) requires a quick, relaxed schwa with minimal articulation when spoken fast. This makes the word prone to one-syllable speech like 'lad-der' without the second syllable fully realized. Practice with slow repetitions to separate the syllables and then blend.
The contrast between /d/ and the following /ər/ can cause a subtle 'd' and 'r' blending in some accents; in non-rhotic UK dialects, the /r/ may not be pronounced strongly, which affects the perceived ending sound. Also, the sequence /d/ + /ə/ can shorten the second syllable; ensure you avoid a tap-like /ɾ/ in careful articulation, choosing a full /d/ release before a clear /ə/ or /ər/.
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US: rhotic /ɹ/ ending; clear /ɹ/ in rapid speech; /ə/ in second syllable is reduced. UK: non-rhotic options; second syllable may be more of a schwa or /ə/; avoid rolling /r/ in end. AU: similar to US but with slightly monophthongal /ə/ and less prominent /ɹ/ in final. IPA cues: US /ˈlædər/, UK /ˈlædə/; AU /ˈlædə/; keep first vowel short and fronted.
Ladder comes from the Old English lacord, related to the Proto-Germanic *laþō or *ladō, which denoted a long, slender supporting structure with rungs. The modern sense of a device for climbing emerged by the Middle Ages, with early forms constructed from wood and rope, variably called ladders, ladders, or laddre. The term shares roots with words for a step-like rungs and was often used metaphorically for sequences of steps toward a goal. The evolution includes semantic broadening to metaphorical ladders of rank or progress and ancestry via Old Norse influences. First known uses appear in English texts dating to the 9th–12th centuries in reference to climbing aids, later appearing in legal and architectural documents. Over time, pronunciation stabilized in modern English as /ˈlædər/ in US, /ˈlædər/ in UK, with the same rhotic vowel qualities that drive the ladder vs. latter distinction.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Ladder" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "Ladder" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "Ladder"
-der sounds
-re) sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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