3 syllables: Pro, ba, ble. Stress on Pro.
PRAH-buh-buhl
/ˈpɹɑbəbəl/
Probable is pronounced PRAH-buh-buhl (/ˈpɹɑbəbəl/). It has three syllables (Pro-ba-ble), with the stress on "Pro". Probable is an adjective meaning likely to happen or be true. It describes something that has a high probability, not certainty, and is often used to indicate reasonable expectation based on evidence or typical outcomes. In use, it signals inference rather than absolute fact, and is common in formal or careful speech.
adjectiveProbable is an adjective meaning likely to happen or be true. It describes something that has a high probability, not certainty, and is often used to indicate reasonable expectation based on evidence or typical outcomes. In use, it signals inference rather than absolute fact, and is common in formal or careful speech.
"It is probable that the project will finish on time given the current pace."
"The jury reached a probable verdict based on the available testimony."
"It's probable she forgot to set the alarm, given the late hour."
Pronounce it as PROB-ə-bəl, with primary stress on the first syllable. IPA: US/UK/AU: ˈprɒb.ə.bəl. The first vowel is a short open o as in 'pop,' the middle vowel is a schwa, and the final syllable uses a light schwa plus a 'l' sound. Tip: keep the tongue low-mid for the first vowel and finish with a relaxed, nearly syllabic -l.
Two common errors: 1) Over-emphasizing the second syllable: many learners stretch ‘ə’ too much, turning PRO-BAH-bəl. Correction: keep the middle vowel as a tight, quick schwa. 2) Treating the final -ble as -bul or -blee: pronounce simply -bəl with a light L. Practice by saying PROB-ə-bəl; keep the /b/ clear but not aspirated.
US/UK/AU share the PROB-ə-bəl pattern, but vowel quality shifts slightly: US tends to a shorter, more open o in the first syllable (ˈprɒb.ə.bəl), UK and AU average a similar vowel but with subtle rhotic or non-rhotic tendencies; all remain stress on the first syllable. Australians may realize a slightly more centralized middle vowel and a more open final l. In connected speech, non-rhotic accents may reduce the 'r' influence in connected forms, though 'probable' remains r-colored in some speakers.
The difficulty lies in maintaining the correct stress pattern while producing a quick, unstressed middle vowel and a soft final -ble. The transition from a closed vowel in PRO to a reduced schwa in -ba- and the light, almost syllabic -l can be tricky. Additionally, the final consonant cluster /bəl/ requires precise lip closure and a relaxed tongue to avoid sounding like 'bubble' or misplacing the vowel length. Practice helps stabilize the sequence PROB-ə-bəl.
No separate ‘eb’ sound is pronounced. The word is segmented as PROB-ə-bəl. The 'b' is the same bilabial stop /b/ as in 'bat,' and the 'e' in this spelling contributes to the second syllable's schwa sound rather than a distinct 'ee' pronunciation. The key nuance is ensuring the first syllable carries primary stress and the middle vowel remains a relaxed schwa.
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Probable comes from Latin probablem, from probare meaning to test, prove, or approve. The root prob- conveys weight, proof, or evidence; this sits within the broader Latin family including probus (good) and probatio (proof). The term entered English via Old French probable, retaining the sense of likely to be proven or accepted as true. In Middle English, probable began to denote things that are reasonably likely based on evidence. Over centuries, its use shifted from a strictly evidentiary sense to a more general probability-based sense in both formal and everyday language, maintaining its core nuance that something is not certain, but reasonably expected. First known use in English dates to the 15th century, with further standardization in the 16th and 17th centuries as intellect and science formalized probability-related discourse, eventually expanding into modern usage in many registers.
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Words that rhyme with "Probable"
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