SPRING-kuhld
/ˈspɹɪŋkəld/
sprinkled is pronounced SPRING-kuhld (/ˈspɹɪŋkəld/). Sprinkled is the past tense form of sprinkle, meaning distributed in small drops or particles over a surface. It describes a light, scattered distribution, such as snowflakes, sugar, or confetti. In usage, it often conveys a casual, even decorative touch, rather than a heavy coating.
Sprinkled is the past tense form of sprinkle, meaning distributed in small drops or particles over a surface. It describes a light, scattered distribution, such as snowflakes, sugar, or confetti. In usage, it often conveys a casual, even decorative touch, rather than a heavy coating.
"The cake was sprinkled with powdered sugar for a festive finish."
"Snow was sprinkled across the fields after the early morning frost."
"She sprinkled a few herbs on top to finish the dish."
Pronounce as /ˈsprɪŋ.kəld/ with primary stress on the first syllable. The first part is /sprɪŋ/ with /spr/ onset, short i as in “kit,” and a velar nasal /ŋ/. The second syllable is a schwa-led /kəld/ where the /ld/ cluster lands quickly. Think: SPRING-kuld, but with the e-softened vowel in the second syllable. For reference, listen to native speakers via Forvo or YouGlish for speaker variance.ipa示
Common issues: 1) Misplacing the primary stress or making it too even across syllables; ensure /ˈsprɪŋ/ carries the main energy. 2) Slurring the /ŋ/ into the /k/ so it sounds like /ˈsprɪŋkəld/; keep /ŋ/ clearly before /k/. 3) De-voicing the final /d/ or making it a hiss; in careful speech, surface /d/ as a soft but audible release. Practice with minimal pairs like sprinK- which instruction aids accuracy. Listen and imitate: SPRING-kuhld.
US/UK/AU share /ˈsprɪŋ.kəld/ stress, but rhotics affect the first syllable resonance and the second vowel’s quality slightly. In US, /ɹ/ is rhotics with a stronger post-vocalic coloring; UK tends toward a more clipped /ˈsprɪŋ.kəld/ with less r-coloring; AU often exhibits slight vowel broadening and a more rounded /ɔ/ in other words, but sprinkled remains close to /ˈsprɪŋ.kəld/. Overall, the main differences are rhoticity and tempo; the cadence is generally two syllables with a crisp final /d/.
Difficulties center on the cluster /spr-/, the velar nasal /ŋ/, and the weak second syllable /kəld/ where the /ld/ cluster links to a reduced vowel. The /spr/ onset demands precise tongue blade positioning and lip rounding; /ŋ/ requires a closed nasal with the back of the tongue high, and the /ld/ needs a quick release into the alveolar ridge. Coordinating voicing and timing across two syllables makes it tricky in fast speech; practice helps solidify the exact sequence.
It is primarily a past-tense verb form, but in culinary writing you may encounter a reduced participial feel that functions adjectivally in simple descriptions, e.g., “sprinkled sugar.” Understanding that context helps ensure correct intonation and flow in longer phrases.
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US: rhotic, with a darker /ɹ/ and pointy /ɪ/; UK: shorter /ɪ/ and less rhotic coloring in some regions; AU: tends toward vowel broadening and a slightly lenient vowel around /ə/. IPA anchors: US /ˈsprɪŋ.kəld/; UK /ˈsprɪŋ.kəld/; AU /ˈsprɪŋ.kəld/. Pay attention to the /ŋ/ and the /ld/ release, particularly in connected speech.
Sprinkle comes from Old English sprincian or sprincian, with roots in Proto-Germanic sprinkanan meaning to scatter or sprinkle. The form sprinkled emerged in Middle English as the past tense and past participle of sprinkle. The semantic core has consistently been distribution in small particles over a surface, but the sense broadened from concrete culinary and decorative uses to meteorological and figurative contexts (e.g., “sprinkled with questions”). The transformation from Germanic roots to contemporary usage involved regularization of verb tense forms and cliticization in compound predicates (e.g., “sprinkled on,” “sprinkled with sugar”). First known usage citations appear in 13th–14th century English texts, with the sense clearly tied to light distribution rather than thorough coverage. Over centuries, it maintained a common, everyday register, appearing across literature, recipes, and journalism, and it remains a staple verb form for describing subtle, even dispersion of elements. Modern usage preserves the baked-in sense of lightness and fragmentation, often used metaphorically (e.g., ideas sprinkled through a talk).
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "sprinkled" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "sprinkled" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "sprinkled"
-led sounds
-ic) sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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