How to pronounce irreal
Say it like ih-REE-ul. Irreal has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (REE).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce irreal. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- ih
- REE
- ul
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Irreal pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- ihKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- REESay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
- ulKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of irreal
American and British speakers say irreal in essentially the same way: /ɪˈriəl/ in the US and /ɪˈriːəl/ in the UK.
British respelling: ih-REE-ul.
What does irreal mean?
- Synonym of intangible, immaterial, not composed of things, having no concrete existence.
Where does irreal come from?
From Latin irrealis, from in- (“un-: not”) + reālis (“real, material, tangible, composed of physical things”), from res (“thing”) + -ālis (“-al: forming adjectives”).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with irreal
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of irreal.
Questions about saying irreal
How do you pronounce irreal?
Say ih-REE-ul. The American pronunciation is /ɪˈriəl/. In British English it is /ɪˈriːəl/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in irreal?
Irreal has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (REE). Broken into parts: ih · REE · ul.
Do Americans and Brits say irreal the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ɪˈriəl/ and the British form is /ɪˈriːəl/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.