TAK-uhl
/ˈtækəl/
tackle is pronounced TAK-uhl (/ˈtækəl/). Tackle is a verb (and informal noun in some contexts) meaning to confront or take on a challenge, or to seize and stop an opposing player in sports. It often implies active effort, aggressive approach, or practical handling of an issue. In business or daily use, it can mean to address or deal with a task directly and effectively.
Tackle is a verb (and informal noun in some contexts) meaning to confront or take on a challenge, or to seize and stop an opposing player in sports. It often implies active effort, aggressive approach, or practical handling of an issue. In business or daily use, it can mean to address or deal with a task directly and effectively.
- You may default to a longer vowel in the first syllable, turning TAK-le into TA-kkkkle; keep /æ/ short and crisp. - People often lengthen the final schwa or overemphasize it, producing /ˈtæ.kəːl/; aim for a quick, light /ə/ and stop at the end. - The /k/ can be too aspirated or released too softly; ensure a clear, decisive /k/ before the final vowel. - Try not to insert a glottal stop between the syllables in careful speech; say both syllables fully. - In connected speech, some speakers reduce /æ/ toward /ə/; work to retain /æ/ in the stressed syllable to preserve clarity.
"The team decided to tackle the problem head-on this morning."
"She will tackle the assignment with careful planning and clear deadlines."
"In rugby and American football, players tackle opponents to prevent progress."
Pronounce as TAK-uhl with primary stress on the first syllable. IPA: US/UK/AU /ˈtæ.kəl/. The first syllable uses the short æ as in cat; the second is a schwa or a reduced /ə/ depending on pace. Keep the mouth open for /æ/ then relax into a mid-central vowel /ə/ in the second syllable. Tip: avoid drawing the vowel too long—short, crisp. You’ll hear the cadence as two quick syllables: TAK-uhl.
Common errors: pronouncing as /ˈtæ.kəl/ with an extra length to the second syllable (too long /ə/), or turning /k/ into a harder /kʰ/ then delaying the vowel. Another slip is reducing to /ˈtæk.əl/ with a split vowel or glottal stop in the middle. Correction: keep /æ/ short and crisp, then move quickly to /ə/ (or /ɫ/ in American r-colored contexts) without a strong release; ensure the /k/ is a clear, single stop before the final vowel. Practice by saying TAK + schwa quickly, not dragging the syllables.
-US English typically has /ˈtæ.kəl/ with a rhotic r afterwards only if following an r; here it remains non-rhotic in the word itself, but the /ɹ/ never appears in the word. UK English is /ˈtæ.kəl/ as well, with less syllable length; Australian English is similar but may have a slightly more centralized /ə/ and a less distinct /k/ release in rapid speech. The main difference is vowel quality and duration; US may show a slightly sharper vowel in /æ/ and a crisper /k/ release in careful speech, while AU tends toward a shorter /ə/ and reduced stress on the second syllable in connected speech.
Difficulties stem from the quick transition from /æ/ to /ə/ and the short, clipped /k/ before a relaxed final schwa; speakers often lengthen /æ/ or insert an extra vowel. The alveolar stop /t/ before /æ/ can be softly released, and the /k/ must be tightly controlled to avoid a postvocalic clustering that slips into /tæ.kəl/ or /tə.kəl/. Practicing with minimal pairs and controlled pace helps: focus on the crisp first syllable and the rapid, precise second syllable; using IPA guides helps align mouth positions.
Yes. The word is stressed on the first syllable: TAK-le. The primary stress on σ1 is followed by a weak, unstressed second syllable, making the rhythm strong-weak. This stress pattern supports quick, decisive pronunciation in speech. In careful speech, maintain a clean onset for /t/ and a short, unstressed /ə/ in the second syllable. The word’s cadence helps convey efficiency when you say it in business or sports contexts.
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- US: /ˈtæ.kəl/ with a crisp /æ/, a shorter /ɪ/ or /ə/ in the second syllable; rhotic influence is not relevant here, but the final vowel may be slightly muffled in rapid speech. - UK: /ˈtæ.kəl/ similar, but the second syllable may be a stronger schwa, and the /t/ onset can be more aspirated in careful speech. - AU: /ˈtæ.kəl/ often even more reduced in the second syllable, with a centralized /ə/ and a softer finishing /l/. Focus on a clean, compact second syllable and avoid over-articulation in Australian connected speech.
Tackle comes from the Italian tagliare ‘to cut’ via Mediterranean trading routes, but the sense development in English centers on equipment that catches or grips, such as fishing tackle. The original field likely to have influenced early usage was seafaring and fishing—tackle referred to gear, gear used to handle problems, or to rig equipment. By the 16th–17th centuries, tackle broadened to mean equipment or means of accomplishing a task, and later, in sports, the verb tackle “to seize, seize by force” emerged through metaphorical extension: to catch or grapple an opponent. In modern English, tackle retains both the literal sense of hardware or gear (fishing tackle) and the figurative sense of confronting or dealing with a challenge, with varied register depending on context (sports vs. business). The word’s evolution reflects a pattern of physical-action metaphors evolving into everyday executive verbs, while remaining concrete enough to retain the image of grabbing, seizing, and maneuvering to achieve a goal.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "tackle" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "tackle" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "tackle"
-kle sounds
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