How to pronounce gruel
Say it like GROO-il. Gruel has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (GROO).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce gruel. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- GROO
- il
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Gruel pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- GROOSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "oo" in food.
- ilKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
American vs British pronunciation of gruel
American and British speakers say gruel in essentially the same way: /ˈɡruɪl/ in the US and /ˈɡruːɪl/ in the UK.
British respelling: GROO-il.
What does gruel mean?
- A thin, watery porridge, formerly eaten primarily by the poor and the ill.
- Punishment.
- Something that lacks substance.“thin gruel”
- To exhaust, use up, disable.
- To punish.
- Ejaculate.
Where does gruel come from?
From Middle English gruel, gruwel, greuel, growel (“meal or flour made from beans, lentils, etc.”), from Old French gruel (“coarse meal; > French gruau”), from Medieval Latin grutellum, diminutive of Medieval Latin grutum (“flour; meal”), f
Questions about saying gruel
How do you pronounce gruel?
Say GROO-il. The American pronunciation is /ˈɡruɪl/. In British English it is /ˈɡruːɪl/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in gruel?
Gruel has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (GROO). Broken into parts: GROO · il.
Do Americans and Brits say gruel the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈɡruɪl/ and the British form is /ˈɡruːɪl/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.