TROOTH-fuhl
/ˈtɹuθfəl/
truthful is pronounced TROOTH-fuhl (/ˈtɹuθfəl/). Truthful describes someone or something that tells the truth or is accurate and honest. It conveys honesty in statements or representations, implying reliability and fidelity to facts. In everyday use, it signals credibility and integrity in what is being claimed or described, often contrasting with deceit or exaggeration.
Truthful describes someone or something that tells the truth or is accurate and honest. It conveys honesty in statements or representations, implying reliability and fidelity to facts. In everyday use, it signals credibility and integrity in what is being claimed or described, often contrasting with deceit or exaggeration.
"She gave a truthful account of the incident, leaving out only minor embellishments."
"The reporter sought a truthful answer, not one carefully hedged with qualifiers."
"Your description is truthful and matches the evidence we gathered."
Pronounce it as /ˈtruːθ.fəl/ in US/UK/AU. Start with the long /uː/ as in 'true,' then the dental fricative /θ/ (tongue between teeth), followed by the /f/ sound and a light, unstressed /əl/ in the second syllable. Place the primary stress on the first syllable: TRUITH-ful. Ensure the /θ/ is not replaced by /s/ or /t/ and avoid elongating the second syllable.
Two frequent errors: (1) substituting /θ/ with /s/ or /t/ (e.g., 'trus-ful'), (2) merging /θf/ into a single sound or delaying the /f/ leading to /θfəl/ slurring. Correct by practicing the dental fricative /θ/ clearly between teeth, then release into the /f/ without adding a vowel. Practice slow, exaggerated paces to build the correct sequence: /ˈtruː/ + /θ/ + /fəl/.
In US/UK/AU, the initial /tr/ cluster and /uː/ in /ˈtruːθ/ remain similar. The main differences lie in rhoticity and vowel length: US is rhotic, pronouncing /r/ in some contexts though not in this word; UK tends to more clipped /ˈtruːθfəl/ with less vowel length variation; AU mirrors UK with slight vowel adjustments toward a centralized /ː/ and similar /θ/ realization. Overall, the /θ/ is consistently dental fricative across these accents.
The challenge lies in smoothly transitioning from the long /uː/ to the interdental /θ/ without inserting an extra vowel, then quickly releasing into /f/—a sequence that can create a “tension” between tongue and teeth. The /θ/ requires precise contact of the tongue tip between the teeth, which non-native speakers often substitute with /t/ or /s/. Maintaining accurate stress and avoiding a weak ending /əl/ also requires fine-tuned articulatory control.
A distinctive feature is the /θ/ sound blending into /f/. The tongue tip must touch the lower edge of the upper teeth or gently touch the teeth’s edge while the airstream passes through, followed immediately by /f/. This clean boundary is essential for a crisp, intelligible /ˈtruːθ.fəl/ rather than a merge like /ˈtruːt.fəl/.
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Truthful comes from the noun truth, from Old English treowþ, meaning fidelity or faithfulness, coupled with the suffix -ful. The root treow- is related to Proto-Germanic *treuwiz and Sanskrit تراव (true). The sense of “reliably aligned with fact” developed in Middle English as adjectives like truth-bearing or truthful to describe people or statements that correspond to reality. The word “truth” itself shares kinship with the Germanic word for law or pledge, underscoring ongoing ties between honesty and obligation. Over time, truthful has retained its core sense of veracity while also broadening to describe things that are correct, accurate, or faithful to source material, not just morally honest. The first use in recorded English citation appears in the late Middle English period, with the compound structure mirroring other -ful adjectives formed from nouns denoting a quality. Over centuries, truthful has remained a precise descriptor in both formal and informal registers, frequently appearing in legal, journalistic, and literary contexts to affirm accuracy and integrity of statements, descriptions, or representations.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "truthful" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "truthful"
-ful sounds
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