TRUHB-uhlz
/ˈtɹʌbəlz/
troubles is pronounced TRUHB-uhlz (/ˈtɹʌbəlz/). troubles refers to difficulties or problems that cause worry or distress. It can also describe a state of unrest or danger. In noun form it denotes multiple issues, while as a verb form (troubles) it can mean to annoy or harass. Context determines whether it’s plural noun or third-person singular present of trouble.
troubles refers to difficulties or problems that cause worry or distress. It can also describe a state of unrest or danger. In noun form it denotes multiple issues, while as a verb form (troubles) it can mean to annoy or harass. Context determines whether it’s plural noun or third-person singular present of trouble.
"She’s having financial troubles that keep her up at night."
"The team faced troubles after the rain delay disrupted practice."
"The community read about political troubles in the newspaper."
Pronounce as two syllables: TROU-bles. IPA: US /ˈtrɑː.bəlz/, UK /ˈtrɒ.bəlz/, AU /ˈtrʌb.əlz/ or /ˈtræː.bəlz/ depending on region. Emphasize the first syllable; the second is light with a schwa or a reduced vowel. Start with a low-back open vowel for the first syllable, then a light, unstressed -bles ending. Keep the final z voiced.
Common errors: importing an extra syllable or misplacing stress on the second syllable, leading to TROU-bəlz or troo-BLEZ. Another frequent slip is pronouncing -bles as -bless or -buls. Correct by maintaining two clear syllables with a light, unstressed final -z. Focus on a short, relaxed second syllable and a voiced /z/ at the end.
In US English, the first vowel often remains a rounded back vowel (trah-buls). In UK English, the vowel is more open /ɒ/ and the /r/ is less prominent in non-rhotic accents, giving /ˈtrɒ.bəlz/. Australian English tends to a more centralized or fronted vowel in the first syllable (/ˈtræː.bəlz/ or /ˈtrɒː.bəlz/) with a light /l/ and a clear final /z/. Stress remains initial across all three, but rhoticity and vowel quality shift subtly.
Difficulties stem from the two-consonant cluster in -bles, where the b and l can blur together if the /l/ is not clearly pronounced. The final -es often reduces to a voiced /z/ or /l/ sound depending on the adjacent consonant. The first syllable includes a tense back vowel that can drift toward /ɑː/ or /ɒ/ and may be affected by the preceding alveolar consonant. Mastery requires clear coda consonant timing and consistent voicing in the final /z/.
No silent letters in standard pronunciation of troubles. Each letter contributes to the two-syllable pronunciation TROU-bles with the final -s often realized as -z. The difficulty lies in achieving the clean /b/ and /l/ sequence and ensuring the final /z/ is fully voiced rather than devoiced in rapid speech.
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Troubles originates from Middle English troublen, derived from Old French troubles, and ultimately from Latin troublius (from trouber, to trouble, to disturb). The term entered English as a general sense of distress or agitation in the late Middle Ages, evolving to mean vexing conditions or difficulties. By the 16th and 17th centuries, troubles commonly referred to complex problems or disturbances in political, social, or personal contexts. The plural form troubles often emphasizes multiple issues rather than a single problem. In modern English, troubles retains both the figurative sense of emotional distress and the concrete sense of obstacles or problems in everyday life, while as a verb (to trouble) it also means to bother or to cause concern. First known usage in English appears in authoritative texts in the 14th–15th centuries, with the sense gradually broadening to include “disturbances or annoyances” in various domains of life.
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Words that rhyme with "troubles"
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