how to pronounce idle

/ˈaɪdəl/

audio example by a male speaker

audio example by a female speaker

the above transcription of idle is a detailed (narrow) transcription according to the rules of the International Phonetic Association; you can find a description of each symbol by clicking the phoneme buttons in the secction below.

idle is pronounced in two syllables

press buttons with phonetic symbols to learn how to precisely pronounce each sound of idle

example pitch curve for pronunciation of idle

aɪdəl

test your pronunciation of idle

press the "test" button to check how closely you can replicate the pitch of a native speaker in your pronunciation of idle

video examples of idle pronunciation

An example use of idle in a speech by a native speaker of american english:

“… you can also kind of go idle so as you …”

meanings of idle

adjective:

  1. Not engaged in any occupation or employment; unemployed; inactive; doing nothing in particular.
  2. Averse to work, labor or employment; lazy; slothful.
  3. Not being used appropriately; not occupied; (of time) with no, no important, or not much activity.
  4. Empty, vacant.
  5. Light-headed; foolish.
  6. Of no importance; useless; worthless; vain; trifling; thoughtless; silly.

name:

  1. A surname​.
  2. Initialism of Integrated DeveLopment Environment.
  3. Acronym of indolent lesion of epithelial origin.
  4. A river, the River Idle in Nottinghamshire, England, which flows into the River Trent.
  5. Initialism of Integrated Development and Learning Environment.
  6. A suburb in the City of Bradford, West Yorkshire, England (OS grid ref SE1737).

verb:

  1. To lose or spend time doing nothing, or without being employed in business.
  2. Of an engine: to run at a slow speed, or out of gear; to tick over.
  3. To spend in idleness; to waste; to consume.

noun:

  1. An idle animation.
  2. An idle game.
  3. The state of idling, of being idle.

idle frequency in english - C2 level of CEFR

the word idle occurs in english on average 4.7 times per one million words; this frequency warrants it to be in the study list for C2 level of language mastery according to CEFR, the Common European Framework of Reference.

words with pronunciation similar to idle

idyllidolsidletidalrivalnigelriflebibleguidedfinal

words that rhyme with idle

sidleidolidylltidalbridlebridal

Did this page help you?