SUHP-uhl
/ˈsʌpəl/
supple is pronounced SUHP-uhl (/ˈsʌpəl/). Supple describes something that is bending easily and moving with grace, often indicating flexibility and adaptability. It implies both physical pliability (as in a supple tree) and a pliant, adaptable quality in behavior or technique. The term carries a sense of ease and control, suggesting well-coordinated, elastic movement rather than rigidity. (2-4 sentences, 50-80 words).
Supple describes something that is bending easily and moving with grace, often indicating flexibility and adaptability. It implies both physical pliability (as in a supple tree) and a pliant, adaptable quality in behavior or technique. The term carries a sense of ease and control, suggesting well-coordinated, elastic movement rather than rigidity. (2-4 sentences, 50-80 words)
"Her supple wrists allowed her to perform the intricate fencing move with precision."
"The dancer’s supple spine enabled wide-ranging, fluid movements."
"Leather that is supple will respond well to shaping and molding."
Supple is pronounced with two syllables: SUp-pl. The primary stress is on the first syllable. The second syllable is a light, schwa-like /ə/ followed by /l/: /ˈsʌp.əl/. Note that the 'pp' often yields a soft, almost silent second consonant in rapid speech, so you may hear /ˈsəp.l/ in some informal settings, but the standard is /ˈsʌp.əl/ with a clear /p/ release followed by a reduced vowel. IPA: US /ˈsʌp.əl/, UK /ˈsʌp.əl/, AU /ˈsʌp.əl/.
Common mistakes include: 1) Misplacing the stress on the second syllable, saying /ˌsəpˈlɪ/ or similar, which sounds off to native ears. 2) Pronouncing a strong /ɡ/ or /d/ sound in the second syllable; instead, the second syllable should have a short schwa /ə/ before the final /l/. 3) Dropping the final /l/ or turning it into a vowel; maintain the clear /l/ articulation to avoid /ˈsʌp/ without a syllable. Focus on the /p/ release in the first syllable and a light /ə/ before /l/ in the second.
All three accents share /ˈsʌp.əl/. In some Western dialects, you may notice a slightly more pronounced vowel in the first syllable or a less pronounced /l/ at the end depending on rhoticity and l-lessness tendencies; however, non-rhotic varieties generally keep the final /l/. The main variation is vowel quality and consonant clarity: US and UK typically retain a crisp /p/ and a clear /l/, while some Australian speakers may show a more centralized vowel in the first syllable and a lighter /l/.
The difficulty centers on the subtle vowel in the first syllable and the light, almost silent second syllable transition. The /ʌ/ in the first syllable can be challenging if your native language features a different vowel inventory. The /p/ release must be clean and followed by a reduced /ə/ before /l/; many learners slide into /ɪ/ or omit the /l/. Mastery requires precise timing: strong but brief /p/ release, then quick schwa, then an accurate /l/ with the tongue contacting the alveolar ridge.
A distinctive aspect is the final /əl/ cluster where the /l/ often coalesces with a very short, almost swallowed schwa. In careful speech you’ll hear /ˈsʌp.əl/, but in fast speech, many native speakers reduce to /ˈsʌp.l̩/ or /ˈsəp.l̩/. This non-syllabic l may sound like a syllabic /l/ in some contexts. Paying attention to transferring the light /ə/ into the /l/ without reducing the /l/ entirely helps keep the word sounding natural.
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Supple enters English via Old French souple, from Latin supple- ‘folded, pliable,’ from supplicare? (note: etymology is often presented with uncertainty in common references). The base is Latin supplex ‘bending, kneeling’ linked to sup- ‘under’ and plicare ‘to fold.’ In Middle English, ‘supple’ referred to something that could be bent easily and then came to mean adaptable or pliant more broadly. The sense of “flexible in movement” aligns with physical pliability and later figurative use for adaptable methods or reasoning. First known uses surface in the late medieval period, with gradual extension from material pliability to abstract adaptability. Over centuries, the semantic range broadened to include both tangible and metaphorical elasticity, maintaining a core idea of ease of movement or adjustment. (200-300 words)
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "supple" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "supple" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "supple"
-ple sounds
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