2 syllables: Wrin, kle. Stress on Wrin.
RING-kuhl
/ˈɹɪŋkəl/
Wrinkle is pronounced RING-kuhl (/ˈɹɪŋkəl/). It has two syllables (Wrin-kle), with the stress on "Wrin". Wrinkle (noun): a small furrow or crease on a surface, especially on the skin. It can also describe a slight bend or irregularity in fabric or material. In figurative use, it denotes a difficulty or complication. The term implies a subtle, textured line rather than a sharp crack, and it often conveys age, wear, or the need for smoothing or attention.
nounWrinkle (noun): a small furrow or crease on a surface, especially on the skin. It can also describe a slight bend or irregularity in fabric or material. In figurative use, it denotes a difficulty or complication. The term implies a subtle, textured line rather than a sharp crack, and it often conveys age, wear, or the need for smoothing or attention.
- Mistake: Not clearly releasing the /ŋ/ before /k/; correction: emphasize the /ŋ/ by briefly holding it before the /k/, keeping the tongue back for a clean velar stop. - Mistake: Fusing /ɪ/ and /ŋ/ into a single syllable and reducing the /ŋ/; correction: practice with a mini pause after /ŋ/ to separate the sounds. - Mistake: Over-emphasizing the final syllable; correction: keep final /əl/ light and unstressed, as /əl/ is weak; don’t add extra vowel length. - Practical tip: Record yourself saying WRIN-kəl in a slow tempo, then progressively speed up while maintaining each segment’s clarity. - Practice idea: Say ring and wrinkle in sequence to train the /ŋ/ transition: /rɪŋ/ then /kəl/.
"Her face bore a wrinkle near the corner of her eye, a sign of years of laughter."
"The shirt had a stubborn wrinkle that wouldn’t disappear with a quick iron."
"The brochure’s design had a wrinkle in the margins that distracted readers."
Wrinkle is pronounced WRIN-kəl with initial stress on WRIN. IPA: US/UK/AU → /ˈrɪŋ.kəl/. Start with the r-colored vowel /ɹ/ followed by a short, lax /ɪ/ in the first syllable. The second syllable is a rhotacized schwa /kəl/ with a clear /k/ onset and light, unstressed final /əl/. Keep the tongue close to the alveolar ridge for the /ɹ/ and release into /ɪ/ and /ŋ/ before the /k/ and /əl/. Audio reference: consider listening toPronounce or Forvo entries for natural variations.
Common errors: 1) Slurring the /ŋ/ into the /ɪ/ so it sounds like /ˈwɪŋ.kəl/—keep a distinct velar nasal /ŋ/ with a short /ɪ/. 2) Misplacing the /r/; avoid a rolled or tapped r; aim for the standard American/UK /ɹ/ approximant. 3) Reducing /ˈrɪŋ.kəl/ to /ˈrɪn.kəl/ by dropping the velar nasal; ensure the /ŋ/ is voiced and audible before /k/. Practice by drilling minimal pairs: ring vs wring to feel the difference.
In US/UK/AU, /ˈrɪŋ.kəl/ remains similar, with rhotacized /ɹ/ and a light final /əl/. US rhotics may have a slightly stronger /ɹ/; UK often exhibits a less pronounced rhoticity in some accents, but most standard varieties still deliver /ˈrɪŋ.kəl/. Australian English typically aligns with rhotic pronunciation but may feature a more centralized or lax vowel in /ɪ/ and a slightly longer final /əl/ in connected speech. Overall, the primary vowel /ɪ/ and the nasal /ŋ/ anchor the word across accents.
Wrinkle challenges several phonetic aspects: the /ɹ/ initial after a consonant cluster can be tricky, and the '/ŋ/' requires keeping the velar nasal distinct before /k/. The sequence /ɪŋ.k/ can blur if you reduce the /ŋ/ and the /k/ into a smoother glide. Additionally, the final /əl/ tends to reduce to a schwa-plus-dark-l, so many speakers shorten it; aim for a light, crisp /əl/ to avoid an abrupt ending.
Wrinkle has no silent letters; the stress is on the first syllable (WRIN). The /ŋ/ nasal is fully voiced and crucial for distinguishing from similar words like wrinkle vs. wrangle; ensure you maintain a clear velar nasal before the /k/. The final syllable has a reduced /əl/, but not silent; maintaining a crisp, light ending helps avoid a dull close.
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- US: rhotic /ɹ/ is strong; keep the tongue tip raised toward the alveolar ridge but not touching. Vowel /ɪ/ is lax; practice with a slightly higher jaw to avoid a lax sound. - UK: rhoticity varies; many British speakers have a non-rhotic variant; maintain /ɹ/ quality but allow for lighter /ɹ/ in some regional accents. Vowel /ɪ/ may be slightly shorter; avoid over-lengthening. - AU: tends toward rhotic but with a broader vowel inventory; keep /ɪ/ with a less tense tongue. Final /əl/ often reduced to /əl/ or a light schwa; keep the end soft and not overly rounded. - IPA references located for each: /ˈrɪŋ.kəl/ in all standard varieties; adjust nasal and rhotic articulation based on regional tendencies.
Wrinkle comes from Middle English wrinkelen, from Old English wrincian meaning to wrinkle or to bend. The root wrincl- or wrinc- is linked to twisting and bending actions, reflecting the sense of a small fold or furrow in a surface. The word evolved from concrete physical creases to metaphorical uses describing complications or problems that “crease” or tangle plans. Historically, wrinkle appeared in the English lexicon by the 13th–14th centuries in texts describing fabric and skin. By the 17th–18th centuries, the term broadened to include figurative uses, such as complications or subtleties in reasoning or events. The pronunciation hardened into /ˈrɪŋ.kəl/ in many dialects, with the initial r-sound and a short vowel in the first syllable, followed by a secondary stress or a lighter final syllable depending on the speaker. The evolution reflects a common pattern where tactile surface features become metaphors for social or logistical difficulties, a semantic shift still visible today in clothing, design, and facial descriptions.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Wrinkle" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "Wrinkle"
-kle sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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