3 syllables: Re, hears, al. Stress on hears.
rih-UR-suhl
/ɹɪˈhɝsəl/
Rehearsal is pronounced rih-UR-suhl (/ɹɪˈhɝsəl/). It has three syllables (Re-hears-al), with the stress on "hears". Rehearsal is the act or process of practicing a performance or procedure in preparation for a public presentation or event. It involves running through the material, timing, and refining delivery to ensure smooth execution. As a noun, it can refer to a pre-performance practice session or the process itself, often within theater, music, or public speaking contexts.
nounRehearsal is the act or process of practicing a performance or procedure in preparation for a public presentation or event. It involves running through the material, timing, and refining delivery to ensure smooth execution. As a noun, it can refer to a pre-performance practice session or the process itself, often within theater, music, or public speaking contexts.
- Mistaking /ɪ/ in the first syllable: you might say /rɪˈheɪr.səl/; correction: maintain /ɪ/ for the first syllable but move to /ˈhɜːr/ in the stressed second syllable. - Overemphasizing the final 'al' as a pure /l/ ending rather than a syllabic schwa; correction: end with a soft /əl/ (schwa + l). - Misplacing rhythm: aim for a strong second syllable, then a quick, light final -əl; practice with a beat: 1-2-3-4 syllables, stress on 2.
"The actors held a long rehearsal to synchronize their movements before opening night."
"Our team scheduled a rehearsal to test the new presentation slides and pacing."
"After the rehearsal, the director gave notes on pacing and emphasis."
Pronounced ri-HAURS-əl in US and UK. The primary stress is on the second syllable: /rɪˈhɜːr.səl/. The first syllable reduces to 'ri' and the second syllable 'hør' features a rhotacized mid-central vowel with an r-colored quality before the final syllable 'əl'. Keep the /ɜːr/ cluster tight, then a light schwa for the last syllable. Listen to native pronunciation and imitate the rhythm: weak-STRONG-weak.
Common mistakes include stressing the wrong syllable (re-HEARS-al instead of re-HEARS-al with second syllable stress), mispronouncing the 'ea' as a long /iː/ or 're-hear-sal' with a hard 'r' at the end of 'hear'. Correction: keep the primary stress on the second syllable /rɪˈhɜːr.səl/; use a relaxed 'ea' as /ɜːr/ in the second syllable; avoid adding a strong 'l' sound in the middle. End with a light schwa /əl/.
In US, /rɪˈhɜːr.səl/ with rhotic r, more rounded /ɜːr/; UK often yields /rɪˈhɜː.səl/ with non-rhotic tendencies in some dialects but most standard RP keeps rhotic /ˈr/; Australian tends to be /rəˈhɜːsəl/ with reduced initial vowel and similar final /əl/. The main variation is vowel quality in the first stressed syllable and the presence or absence of rhotic linking in connected speech.
The difficulty lies in the unstressed third syllable and the /ɜːr/ sequence that combines a central vowel with an r-colored quality. Learners often misplace stress, reduce the second syllable too much, or overemphasize the final syllable. Practice the exact sequence: /rɪ/ + /ˈhɜːr/ + /səl/; focus on keeping the /ɜːr/ tight and avoiding a strong, audible 'l' or extra 'r' at the end.
In 'rehearsal', the 'ea' is part of the /ɜːr/ cluster in the stressed syllable, so it is not /iː/. The sequence is /rɪˈhɜːr.səl/ with /ɜːr/ representing the 'ear' sound in this arrangement; the 'ea' is effectively a reduced vowel producing the /ɜːr/ sequence, followed by a light /s/ and final schwa /əl/.
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US: rhotic /r/ preserved, more open /ɜː/; UK: often slightly shorter /ɜː/ and less rhotic in some regions; AU: similar to US but with less precise /ɜːr/ and a flatter intonation. Vowel length and rhotic coloring differ; use IPA: US /rɪˈhɜːr.səl/, UK /rɪˈhɜː.səl/, AU /rəˈhɜː.səl/.
Rehearsal comes from the verb rehearsal, which derives from the Old French learn to learn? Actually: It originates from the Middle French rehearsaille? The true etymology: from Old French reherbier? Historically, the term evolved in theatrical contexts in the 17th century. The root idea is to 'prepare again' or 'rehearse' as to practice again. The word is built from re- (again) + hear-
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Words that rhyme with "Rehearsal"
-sal sounds
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