How to pronounce influential
Say it like in-floo-EN-shul. Influential has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the third one (EN).
- in
- floo
- EN
- shul
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Influential pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- inGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- flooKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "oo" in food.
- ENSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
- shulKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of influential
American and British speakers say influential in essentially the same way: /ˌɪnfluˈɛnʃəl/ in the US and /ˌɪnflʊˈɛnʃəl/ in the UK.
British respelling: in-fluu-EN-shul.
What does influential mean?
- having or exercising influence or power“an influential newspaper”“influential leadership for peace”
Where does influential come from?
From Medieval Latin īnfluentiālis, from īnfluentia + -ālis.
Words that rhyme with influential
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of influential.
- potential
- essential
- presidential
- residential
- confidential
- differential
- existential
- exponential
- sequential
- preferential
Questions about saying influential
How do you pronounce influential?
Say in-floo-EN-shul. The American pronunciation is /ˌɪnfluˈɛnʃəl/. In British English it is /ˌɪnflʊˈɛnʃəl/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in influential?
Influential has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the third one (EN). Broken into parts: in · floo · EN · shul.
Do Americans and Brits say influential the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˌɪnfluˈɛnʃəl/ and the British form is /ˌɪnflʊˈɛnʃəl/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.