Synonyms for

Vowels

Verb / ˈvaʊʌlz / / vaʊlz / Another word for vowels — explore alternatives below. For syllable breakdowns and pronunciation, see this word on Syllablesworld.

Definition

Vowels are letters in the alphabet that represent speech sounds made with the mouth open and the tongue not touching any part of the mouth.

Synonyms & similar words

vowelsound consonant vowel vocalic sonants monophthongs diphthongs glides

Synonyms by register

Formal

vocalic sounds open sounds

Literary

singing sounds open tones

Antonyms

consonants semivowels fricatives plosives affricates liquids

Common collocations

  • vowels and consonants
  • short vowels
  • long vowels
  • vowel sounds
  • vowel letters
  • front vowels
  • back vowels
  • rounded vowels

Word family

noun vowel
adjective vocalic

Usage note

Vowels are sounds produced with an open vocal tract, while consonants involve some obstruction. The term 'vowel' can refer to the sound itself or the letter representing it.

Example sentences

  1. I know all of the vowels in the alphabet.
  2. The word 'apple' has three vowels in it.
  3. When you sing, you use your vowels differently than when you talk.
  4. The vowel sounds in 'boy' and 'buy' are different.
  5. The word 'happy' has two vowels and two consonants.

Quotes

  • A vowel is a sound that is made with your mouth fairly open, the nucleus of a spoken syllable. All English words have vowels.
  • The letters A, E, I, O, and U... represent the vowel sounds in the English language.
  • Vowels are letters... that are used to make syllables in a word.

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