syllable

noun

ˈsi-lə-bəl How to pronounce syllable (audio)
Definition of syllablenext
as in damn
the smallest amount or part imaginable you're not making a syllable of sense

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of syllable Risica — the emphasis is on the first syllable — has more than 2,100 square feet at the base of a RiNo apartment complex to fill. — Miguel Otárola, Denver Post, 16 Sep. 2026 The traditional astronomical pronunciation is Vē-ga, with the stress on the first syllable. — Joe Rao, Space.com, 10 Sep. 2026 Poe Many parents with a long or complicated surname—and even those without—like to consider a short, one-syllable given name as a balance. — Anna Earl, Parents, 5 Sep. 2026 Their head coach would pace around them before belting out three syllables. — Sam McDowell, Kansas City Star, 30 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for syllable
Recent Examples of Synonyms for syllable
  1. damn
  2. hoot
  3. lick
  4. whit
Noun
  • Trump is not a successful deal maker, because no deal Trump makes is worth a damn.
    — Chris Brennan, USA Today, 27 Aug. 2026
  • And if that is to be the case, most Chicagoans do not give a damn whether the team goes to Arlington Heights or Hammond.
    — The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 1 June 2026
Definition of damn
Noun
  • Closer to home there’s The Invite’s Olivia Wilde, who is a hoot as a tightly wound yuppie, and who could make history as the first woman to direct herself to an acting nomination.
    — Nate Jones, Vulture, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Whyte is a hoot, and her thick-as-thieves chemistry with Horgan a delight.
    — Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of hoot
Noun
  • But for the most part, both are getting their points across, landing a few licks and, so far, avoiding the sort of major gaffe or damaging moment that could reshape the race.
    — AJC.com, AJC.com, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Shafee operates in a languid, free-form zone throughout, trading his funky licks for loose, spacious lines and tolling, repetitive chords.
    — Reed Jackson, SPIN, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of lick
Noun
  • In art, as in life, the messy materiality of flesh fazes me not one whit.
    — Eugenie Brinkema, ARTnews.com, 17 Oct. 2026
  • His adoration, here as in all things natural, is infectious, although the birds themselves care not a whit for him, and isn’t that part of the wonder, the fun?
    — Ian Crouch, New Yorker, 8 May 2026
Definition of whit

Browse Nearby Words

syllabi
syllable
syllables
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Cite this Entry

“Syllable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/syllable. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on syllable

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about syllable

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