syllable

[sil-uh-buhl] / ˈsɪl ə bəl /

NOUN

speech sound

Synonyms

WEAK

affricate click consonant diphthong fricative implosive liquid phone phonetic entity phonetic unit plosive sibilant sonant spirant vocable

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

And with that single syllable, I had cancer.

From Slate • Mar. 29, 2026

In healthy participants, brain activity dropped when the imagined syllable matched the sound played through the headphones.

From Science Daily • Jan. 23, 2026

If you normally answer questions with a single syllable, this gig isn’t for you.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 8, 2025

All true, as well as Koufax being a tremendous human being worthy of every syllable of praise.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 3, 2025

I pounded on the side of the house to stop the tears, smashing out each syllable.

From "Jacob Have I Loved" by Katherine Paterson

Vocabulary lists containing syllable

TEKS ELAR Academic Vocabulary List (5th-7th grades)

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Foundational Reading

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Reading: Literature - Introductory

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