ree-BILT
/ɹiˈbɪlt/
rebuilt is pronounced ree-BILT (/ɹiˈbɪlt/). Rebuilt is the past participle and adjective form of rebuild: to construct something again after it has been damaged or destroyed. It often implies a reconstruction that is more thorough or extensive than the original. In usage, you might say a city was rebuilt after the earthquake or a car was rebuilt from salvage parts.
Rebuilt is the past participle and adjective form of rebuild: to construct something again after it has been damaged or destroyed. It often implies a reconstruction that is more thorough or extensive than the original. In usage, you might say a city was rebuilt after the earthquake or a car was rebuilt from salvage parts.
- You’ll often mispronounce by turning /ɪ/ into a longer vowel or by making the final /lt/ sound overly heavy, like /lt/ into /t/ or /d/. Focus on crisp l-then-t release. - The second syllable bears primary stress, so avoid sounding like re-BILT or RE-bilt; the key is non-stressed first syllable with a strong second syllable phonation. - In rapid speech, learners may reduce /ɪ/ to schwa or drop the /l/; keep the /l/ light but audible, and finish with a clear /t/. - Some speakers make the /r/ too strong in US non-rhotic contexts; aim for a quick, passing rhotic if your dialect requires it, but let the vowel quality drive the /ɪ/ and /lt/ sequence.
"The town was rebuilt after the flood, with stronger flood defenses."
"She rebuilt her career after the setback, taking courses and gaining experience."
"The house was rebuilt to be more energy-efficient than before."
Pronounce as /rɪˈbɪlt/ in General American and most UK usage. The first syllable is a reduced /rɪ/ (like “ri” in rid) with primary stress on the second syllable. The vowel in the second syllable is a short /ɪ/ as in “bit,” followed by /lt/ with a clear L and a final T. Mouth position: keep the tongue mid-high for /ɪ/ and finish with a crisp /t/ release before the tongue contacts the alveolar ridge. Audio resources: consult Cambridge or Oxford pronunciations, or Forvo for regional flavor.
Common errors: 1) Pronouncing it as /ˈriːbɪlt/ with a long first vowel; correction: use short /ɪ/ as in “bit” for the second syllable, with primary stress on the second syllable. 2) Slurring the /lt/ into a simple /l/ or /t/—instead, land with a crisp alveolar /t/ after a clear /l/. 3) Reducing the second syllable too much in rapid speech, making it sound like /ˈrɪbɪlt/ or /ˈrɪbɪl/; correct: ensure full /ɪ/ and final /lt/ cluster is audible.
In US and UK, the second syllable carries the primary stress: re-BILT. US speakers may have a lighter /r/ onset and a slightly flatter intonation, while UK speakers may display tighter lips around /ɪ/ and a crisper /t/ release; Australian speakers often preserve a similar pattern but with a marginally longer vowel duration before the final consonant and a non-rhotic tendency affecting the preceding vowel quality in connected speech. Overall, the tense /ɪ/ and the /lt/ cluster remain central in all varieties.
The challenge lies in the /ɪ/ vowel in the stressed second syllable combined with the /lt/ cluster. Many learners run the consonant together, producing /lt/ as a single sound or drop the /t/ in rapid speech. Ensure a brief, crisp /t/ after the /l/ by releasing the tip of the tongue from the alveolar ridge quickly after the /l/. Practicing with minimal pairs like built/built and belt/billt (hypothetical) can help you cement the /ɪ/ quality and the /lt/ release.
No. All letters contribute to the pronunciation: the initial re- contributes /rɪ/, the second syllable carries the stressed /bɪlt/ with a pronounced /l/ and /t/. The word has no silent letters, unlike some English forms where letters are not phonetically realized in certain contexts, but here each letter participates in the phonemic realization of the word.
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- US: pronounce the /ɪ/ as a short, tense vowel, with a light rhotic /r/ followed by a crisp /lt/ cluster. IPA: /rɪˈbɪlt/. - UK: more clipped vowels; keep /ɪ/ compact, with a sharper /t/ release and less rhotic influence in some pronunciations; IPA: /rɪˈbɪlt/. - AU: similar to UK but with slightly more vowel length before the final cluster; keep non-rhotic tendencies in careful speech; IPA: /ɹɪˈbɪlt/. Key tips: relax the jaw, keep the tongue high for /ɪ/, and stop the airflow cleanly at /t/.
Rebuilt comes from the prefix re- meaning again, combined with built, the past participle of build. The verb build traces to Old English byldan, with Germanic roots in the Proto-Germanic *badlijan- or *bulþan-, denoting construction. The sense evolved through Middle English as “to construct” and then “to mend or restore by constructing again.” The combination re- + built became established in Early Modern English, reflecting nimble, iterative action—doing the act of building again rather than merely repairing. The first attestations appear in technical and architectural texts as cities, bridges, or structures were described as being rebuilt after disasters. In modern usage, rebuilt often emphasizes a thorough or improved reconstruction, sometimes with connotations of modernization or redesign beyond the original form. The word has remained stable in spelling while its pronunciation has persisted in general American and British varieties, though stress patterns and vowel qualities in surrounding speech can subtly shift its articulation in rapid speech or dialectal contexts.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "rebuilt" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "rebuilt"
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