How to pronounce gravel
Say it like GRAV-ul. Gravel has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (GRAV).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce gravel. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- GRAV
- ul
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Gravel pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- GRAVSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "a" in cat.
- ulKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of gravel
American and British speakers say gravel in essentially the same way: /ˈɡrævəl/ in the US and /ˈɡrævəl/ in the UK.
British respelling: GRAV-ul.
What does gravel mean?
- rock fragments and pebbles
- cause annoyance in; disturb, especially by minor irritations“Mosquitoes buzzing in my ear really bothers me”“It irritates me that she never closes the door after she leaves”
- cover with gravel“We gravelled the driveway”
- be a mystery or bewildering to“This beats me!”“Got me--I don't know the answer!”
Where does gravel come from?
From Middle English gravel, grauel, from Old French gravele, diminutive of grave (“gravel, seashore”), from Medieval Latin grava, ultimately from Proto-Celtic *grāwā (“gravel, pebbles”) (compare Breton groa, Cornish grow, Welsh gro), from P
Words that rhyme with gravel
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of gravel.
Questions about saying gravel
How do you pronounce gravel?
Say GRAV-ul. The American pronunciation is /ˈɡrævəl/. In British English it is /ˈɡrævəl/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in gravel?
Gravel has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (GRAV). Broken into parts: GRAV · ul.
Do Americans and Brits say gravel the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈɡrævəl/ and the British form is /ˈɡrævəl/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.