How to pronounce "oblique" in EnglishVerb
əˈbliːk
ə·BLEEK
Primary stress: BLEEK
We haven’t indexed spoken video clips for this word in our library yet. You can listen to its audio pronunciation, review phonetic IPA, and check definitions below.
No video clips indexed yet for “oblique”
We haven’t indexed spoken video clips for this word in our library yet. You can listen to its audio pronunciation, review phonetic IPA, and check definitions below.
Linguistic Pronunciation Masterclass: “oblique”
Phonetic mechanics, syllable architecture, and conversational cadence
Syllable Architecture & Stress Distribution
ə
Neutral schwa (⁄ə⁄): relaxed jaw, brief unstressed breath.
BLEEK
Tense long vowel with sustained acoustic resonance.
Primary emphasis falls on the second syllable ("BLEEK"). Raise your pitch and sustain the vowel length on this syllable while relaxing the surrounding syllables.
Common Pronunciation Traps & Learner Mistakes
The Trap: Avoid pronouncing every vowel with full acoustic weight. Non-native speakers often over-enunciate unstressed vowels.
How Native Speakers Say It: Only give full vowel clarity to the primary stressed syllable. Relax all unstressed vowels into a neutral, low-energy schwa (⁄ə⁄).
Connected Speech & Natural Conversational Flow
When followed by a vowel, insert a subtle glide (/w/ or /j/) to connect into the subsequent word without an abrupt glottal stop.
In natural sentences, avoid over-stressing "oblique" unless it conveys the core contrast or focal point of your message.
Practice Speaking “oblique”
Listen to native pronunciation, record yourself repeating the sentence into your microphone, and receive real-time word-by-word accuracy scoring.
Italic fonts are sometimes described as oblique in typographic terminology.
Hear it in context: “oblique”
The English word “oblique” is transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) as əˈbliːk (phonetic respelling: ə-BLEEK). Phonologically, it consists of 2 syllables (ə · BLEEK), with primary lexical stress placed on the 2nd syllable (BLEEK). Grammatically, “oblique” functions as a adjective, noun, verb and acts as an English heteronym where syllable stress shifts between noun (initial-syllable stress) and verb (second-syllable stress) usage. Hear native speakers say oblique in context across real video clips
Definition & Meaning: “oblique”
- Not erect or perpendicular; not parallel to, or at right angles from, the base.
- Not straightforward; indirect; by implication; (sometimes even) obscure, ambiguous, or confusing.
- An oblique line.
- Synonym of slash ⟨/⟩.
- To deviate from a perpendicular line; to become askew.
- To march in a direction oblique to the line of the column or platoon; — formerly accomplished by oblique steps, now by direct steps, the men half-facing either to the right or left.
Example Sentences (2)
- “Italic fonts are sometimes described as oblique in typographic terminology.”
- “The email from HR obliquely informed her that some complaints about her had been received.”
Pronounce: “oblique”
- Pronunciation:
- ə-BLEEK
- Syllables:
- ə · BLEEK
- Written Hyphenation:
- o · blique
- Primary stress:
- BLEEK
- IPA:
- əˈbliːk
- Hear it in context
- oblique
Synonyms: “oblique”
Hear words related in meaning to “oblique” in real video clips:
Words that Rhyme with “oblique”
-ikWords that Sound Identical (Homophones)
Unique Sound"oblique" (⁄əˈbliːk⁄) has no true homophones in standard English — there are no other words with identical pronunciation. Unlike sound-alike pairs like there / their or peace / piece, "oblique" has a completely distinct phonetic identity.
Frequently asked questions about oblique
How do you pronounce “oblique”?
“oblique” is pronounced ⁄əˈbliːk⁄ (ə-BLEEK). Listen to the audio pronunciation above to hear it spoken clearly.
How many syllables are in “oblique”?
“oblique” has 2 syllables: ə · BLEEK.
Where is the stress in “oblique”?
The primary stress in “oblique” is on “BLEEK”.
What does “oblique” mean?
Not erect or perpendicular; not parallel to, or at right angles from, the base.
What is the most common pronunciation mistake when saying “oblique”?
Avoid pronouncing every vowel with full acoustic weight. Non-native speakers often over-enunciate unstressed vowels. Only give full vowel clarity to the primary stressed syllable. Relax all unstressed vowels into a neutral, low-energy schwa (⁄ə⁄).