How to pronounce grovel
Say it like GROV-ul. Grovel has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (GROV).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce grovel. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- GROV
- ul
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Grovel pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- GROVSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ah" in father.
- ulKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of grovel
- The short o is rounded in British English (as in "hot"), but open and unrounded in American English.
British respelling: GROV-ul.
What does grovel mean?
- To be prone on the ground.
- To crawl.
- To abase oneself before another person.“She refused to grovel in front of the bully, standing her ground.”
Where does grovel come from?
From Middle English *grovelen, from Old Norse grufla, grœfla (“to grovel”), from Proto-Germanic *grubilōną (“to dig, delve into”), from Proto-Indo-European *gʰrebʰ‑ (“to dig, scrape, scrabble, scratch”); akin to Old Norse á grufu (“on one's
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with grovel
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of grovel.
Questions about saying grovel
How do you pronounce grovel?
Say GROV-ul. The American pronunciation is /ˈɡrɑvəl/. In British English it is /ˈɡrɒvəl/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in grovel?
Grovel has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (GROV). Broken into parts: GROV · ul.
Is grovel pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. The short o is rounded in British English (as in "hot"), but open and unrounded in American English. The British form is /ˈɡrɒvəl/ (GROV-ul).