2 syllables: Slan, der. Stress on Slan.
SLAN-dur
/ˈslændɚ/
Slander is pronounced SLAN-dur (/ˈslændɚ/). It has two syllables (Slan-der), with the stress on "Slan". Slander is a noun referring to spoken defamation—making false statements about someone that damage their reputation. It involves oral communication intended to harm another's character, often requiring evidence to prove harm in legal contexts. The term contrasts with libel, which denotes written defamation, and it emphasizes spoken dissemination rather than published material.
nounSlander is a noun referring to spoken defamation—making false statements about someone that damage their reputation. It involves oral communication intended to harm another's character, often requiring evidence to prove harm in legal contexts. The term contrasts with libel, which denotes written defamation, and it emphasizes spoken dissemination rather than published material.
"The tabloids spread slanderous rumors about the actor, causing a swift apology later."
"During the trial, the plaintiff accused the defendant of slander for accusing him of crimes he didn’t commit."
"Gossip can easily become slander if it’s not based on facts."
Pronounce as SLAN-der, with the primary stress on the first syllable. IPA US: /ˈslæn.dɚ/; UK/AU: /ˈslæn.də/. The final r is soft in American English; in non-rhotic varieties (many UK accents) the final /ɚ/ reduces to a schwa. Mouth position: start with an open front vowel, then a light D sound, then a quick schwa or rhotacized vowel depending on accent. You’ll hear the D as a clearly voiced alveolar stop before a relaxed ending.
Common errors: (1) Misplacing stress on the second syllable: SLAN-der; correct is the first syllable. (2) Slurring the /d/ into a flap or a soft end: practice two-phoneme sequence /n/ + /d/ with a crisp alveolar stop. (3) Not differentiating /æ/ from /eɪ/ in the vowel; use a short lax /æ/ as in cat, not a long /eɪ/. Correction: exaggerate the initial vowel briefly in slow speech, then normalize to a quick /æ/ followed by a strong /d/ and a quick /ɚ/ or /ə/.
US: /ˈslæn.dɚ/ with rhotic finale; clear /ɚ/. UK/AU: /ˈslæn.də/ with non-rhotic /ə/ or a weaker final vowel; the /r/ is not pronounced in many British varieties. Vowel length tends to be similar, but American /ɚ/ can be rhotacized, whereas UK/AU leans toward a central vowel around /ə/. Practice by holding a tiny, relaxed mouth posture for the final syllable in US, and a shorter, looser vowel in UK/AU.
The difficulty lies in the two-consonant cluster after the long initial vowel /æ/ and the /ɚ/ or /ə/ ending. Some speakers reduce the ending to a schwa, which alters rhythm. Also, the initial /sl/ cluster requires precise lip and tongue positioning to avoid blending into /s/ or /l/. Focus on a crisp /sl/ onset, maintain the open-front /æ/ vowel, and keep the final, short vowel relaxed but not swallowed.
Yes—listen for the short, crisp vowel in the first syllable and a light, unstressed second syllable. Some speakers insert a slight, almost imperceptible 'ee' or 'er' quality in rapid speech; avoid this by keeping the second syllable as a light /ə/ or /ɚ/ depending on accent. The key is maintaining the strong first syllable stress while ending with a soft, quick vowel.
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Slander comes from Old French estandre or eslandre, derived from Latin ex- ex- meaning 'out' and slandere meaning 'to slander, injure by speech'. The current English form emerged in the late Middle English period, popularized around the 14th–15th centuries in legal and ecclesiastical texts. The original sense referred to harm through spoken words, closely tied to social and legal notions of reputation. Over time, the word solidified into a specialized legal term for false spoken statements that harm another’s reputation. The semantic field broadened in common usage to cover any unfounded, damaging utterance, though the legal definition remains anchored in falsity and publication to a third party. The first known uses appear in medieval law treatises and literature addressing harm to character by spoken words, with formalizing references appearing in early modern legal dictionaries. Today, slander continues to function both as a legal concept and a general pejorative for false, damaging speech, often contrasted with libel, which denotes written defamation.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Slander" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "Slander"
-der sounds
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