TREM-buhl
/ˈtɹɛmbəl/
tremble is pronounced TREM-buhl (/ˈtɹɛmbəl/). Tremble is a verb meaning to shake involuntarily, typically from fear, cold, or excitement. It can also describe a vibration or quiver in something that shakes slightly. The word connotes a brief, imperfect shaking rather than a violent tremor, and is commonly used in both literal and figurative senses.
Tremble is a verb meaning to shake involuntarily, typically from fear, cold, or excitement. It can also describe a vibration or quiver in something that shakes slightly. The word connotes a brief, imperfect shaking rather than a violent tremor, and is commonly used in both literal and figurative senses.
"Her hands began to tremble as she opened the letter."
"The old chandelier trembled in the wind but stayed intact."
"He tried not to tremble while delivering the difficult news."
Tremble is pronounced with the initial stressed syllable: /ˈtrɛm.bəl/. The mouth starts with a short, open front vowel as in 'trap', the first 'r' is light, the 'e' is short, and the second syllable ends with a soft, almost 'uhl' /-bəl/ cluster. Place the tongue near the alveolar ridge for the /r/ and then release quickly into a lax /ə/ followed by /l/. In connected speech the final /l/ may be syllabic or lightly pronounced. Listen for the 'm' to guard the transition between /tr/ and /ɛm/; avoid inserting an extra syllable. IPA reference: US /ˈtrɛm.bəl/, UK /ˈtrɛm.bəl/.
Most speakers mispronounce tremble by overemphasizing the second syllable or by misarticulating the /r/ in American and non-rhotic British accents. Common errors: replacing /tr/ with /dr/ or adding an extraneous schwa before the /l/. Another frequent slip is pronouncing /ˈtrɛm.bəl/ as /ˈtrɛm.bəlˌɔl/ or dragging the final /əl/ into a separate syllable. Correction: keep the final /əl/ as a light, unstressed syllable and avoid a post-tonic vowel. Practice by articulating the first syllable clearly (/ˈtrɛm/) and letting the /b/ and /l/ cluster flow quickly to finish. IPA guidance: /ˈtrɛm.bəl/.
In US English, /ˈtrɛm.bəl/ with rhotics, a clear /r/ and a lax final /əl/. In UK RP, /ˈtrem.bəl/ or /ˈtrɛm.bl̩/ with non-rhoticity often reducing the /r/ and a darker, quicker /əl/; the second syllable may be less vowelised. Australian English tends toward /ˈtrem.bəl/ with a stable /l/ and a slightly closer front vowel, often maintaining the /r/ depending on speaker. Across these accents, the key issue is the vowel quality in the first syllable and the handling of the final /əl/ cluster. IPA references: US /ˈtrɛm.bəl/, UK /ˈtrɛm.bəl/ (or /ˈtrem.bəl/), AU /ˈtrem.bəl/.
Tremble challenges you with the /tr/ onset and the fast transition from /ɛm/ to /bəl/, plus a subtle final syllable that can degrade into a quick /əl/ or /l/ depending on the speaker. The /r/ after /t/ in American English requires precise tongue control, and the /ˈr/ must be retained or softened depending on dialect. Additionally, the /ə/ in the final syllable can be reduced or omitted. Focus on the tight, short vowel /ɛ/ in the first syllable, the rapid /b/ closure, and the light /əl/ release. IPA: /ˈtrɛm.bəl/.
A distinctive point for tremble is that the second syllable features a voiced consonant cluster ending in /l/ with a schwa-like vowel that is often reduced in fast speech, which can mislead learners into adding an extra vowel. Also, you may hear a very light or almost silent final /l/ in some dialects. To master it, practice the exact timing: release the /b/ and immediately glide into a short /əl/ without inserting an extra vowel. IPA: /ˈtrɛm.bəl/.
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Tremble derives from Middle English trembelen, from Old French trembler, from Latin trepidare ‘to hurry, be agitated,’ from trepidus ‘nervous, frightened,’ from ter- ‘to go quickly’ and aversus ‘turned away.’ The root trep- reflects a sense of fear or agitation, evolving to encompass physical shivering and quivering. In Early Modern English, tremble appears in both literal contexts (snapping ice, quivering lips) and metaphorical uses (nerves). By the 16th century, tremble was firmly established as a general verb for involuntary, rapid movement caused by emotion or cold, with extended senses to describe objects affected by slight movement (the chandelier, the leaflets in the wind). The form shows little semantic drift over time, but usage broadened to include figurative trembles of anticipation or excitement. In contemporary English, tremble retains its core sense of involuntary vibration, often with emotional or environmental triggers, while appearing in literary and colloquial registers alike. First known printed use appears in Middle English texts, with standardization in the Early Modern period as printing made spelling and usage more uniform. The word remains a concise, versatile descriptor for small, rapid movements caused by internal or external forces.
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Words that rhyme with "tremble"
-ble sounds
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