4 syllables: Tri, bu, la, tion. Stress on la.
trib-yuh-LAY-shuhn
/ˌtɹɪbjəˈleɪʃən/
Tribulation is pronounced trib-yuh-LAY-shuhn (/ˌtɹɪbjəˈleɪʃən/). It has four syllables (Tri-bu-la-tion), with the stress on "la". Tribulation is a state or experience of great trouble or suffering. It can refer to a difficult period of hardship, trial, or distress, often with a sense of testing or adversity that tests endurance or faith.
nounTribulation is a state or experience of great trouble or suffering. It can refer to a difficult period of hardship, trial, or distress, often with a sense of testing or adversity that tests endurance or faith.
How to Pronounce Tribulation
"- The travelers faced many tribulations on their journey, from storms to scarce provisions."
"- In his memoir, he describes the financial tribulations that accompanied his early career."
"- The community endured tribulations after the storm but remained hopeful."
Pronounce as trɪbjuˈleɪʃən in US and UK, with primary stress on the third syllable: tri-bu-LAY-tion. Start with /tr/ blended consonant cluster, the /ɪ/ in the first syllable, a light /j/ linking to /u/ in the second syllable, then /ˈleɪ/ with a clear diphthong, and end with /ʃən/. Audio reference: use a standard dictionary audio or Forvo entry for exact accent nuances.
Two common errors are misplacing the stress and mispronouncing the /juː/ sequence. People often emphasis the first or second syllable, producing tri-BU-lay-shun or tri-bju-LAY-shun. Also, the /ju/ is a short /j/ plus /u/ sequence; avoid an unintended /juː/ as in jewel. Correct by practicing "/trɪb-juh-LAY-shən/" with a light /j/ glide and the final unstressed /ən/.
In US English, stress pattern is tri-bju-LAY-shən with reduced /ɪ/ in the first syllable and rhoticity not affecting the word’s core; the /ɹ/ is not pronounced as a separate consonant in this sequence. UK speakers may show slightly tighter /ɪ/ and non-emphasized /r/; AU speakers maintain /ɔː/ in similar contexts but typically keep the /j/ glide clear and emphasize the /leɪ/ syllable similarly. All share the /ˈleɪ/ diphthong in the third syllable.
The difficulty comes from the multi-syllable structure with a nonnative-friendly /j/ glide after a stressed syllable and a final unstressed /ən/. The sequence /bju/ can blend into /bjə/ in rapid speech, and the /ˈleɪ/ diphthong requires careful mouth openness and jaw relaxation to avoid a shortened vowel. Practice by chunking into tri|bu|LAY|tion and ensuring the /j/ glide is distinct.
A distinctive feature is the /bj/ cluster that appears as /bju/ or /bjə/ depending on rhythm; English speakers often neutralize the /ju/ into a smoother /jə/ in casual speech. You can train to keep the /j/ as a separate phoneme before the /u/ by starting the second syllable with a light /j/ and then a clear /u/ or /ju/ transition.
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Tribulation comes from the Latin tribulatio(n-), from tribulus, meaning “a test, trial,” and tribulare, meaning “to torment, trouble.” The form entered Middle English via Old French tribulation, retaining the sense of distress and suffering inflicted as a test or trial. The term has long been used in religious and moral contexts to denote trials that test character or faith, often with a sense of divine or providential meaning. Over time, its usage broadened to secular contexts, referring to any period of significant hardship or trouble. The phonological stress pattern T ri bu la tion places emphasis on the second-to-last syllable in traditional pronunciation, reflecting classical Latin stress rules that often influence English loanwords with multiple syllables. First known use in English dates back to the 14th century, aligning with the period’s heavy religious and moral discourse, where trials and tribulations were commonly discussed as spiritual tests. In modern usage, tribulation retains its weighty connotation but is used in literary, rhetorical, and everyday expressions to describe challenging experiences that are prolonged and arduous. The word’s evolution mirrors a shift from strictly moral or religious contexts to broader descriptions of hardship in literature, journalism, and personal narrative.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Tribulation" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "Tribulation"
-ion sounds
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