How to Pronounce “banal”

American (US)

/bəˈnɑːl/

British (UK)

/bəˈnɑːl/

adjective — So lacking in originality as to be boring.

Example: The speech was a string of banal observations.

Synonyms: trite, hackneyed

Antonyms: original, striking

Where the stress falls. “banal” has 2 syllables, and the transcription /bəˈnɑːl/ puts the primary stress mark (ˈ) before the second one — so the second syllable is the longest and loudest. The others are said quickly and lightly.

An unstressed vowel reduces to schwa. /bəˈnɑːl/ contains a schwa /ə/ — the short, neutral “uh” that English unstressed syllables collapse into. Saying /ə/ there, instead of the vowel the spelling suggests, is most of what makes the word sound native.

What does "banal" mean?

banal (adjective): So lacking in originality as to be boring. For example — The speech was a string of banal observations.

How do you pronounce "banal" in American vs British English?

Both accents use the same sequence of phonemes for "banal", /bəˈnɑːl/, so the difference you hear is in how the vowels are coloured rather than in which sounds are used. Play both on this page to compare.

What is the IPA transcription of "banal"?

/bəˈnɑːl/ in American English, /bəˈnɑːl/ in British English.

Which syllable is stressed in "banal"?

“banal” has 2 syllables, and the transcription /bəˈnɑːl/ puts the primary stress mark (ˈ) before the second one — so the second syllable is the longest and loudest. The others are said quickly and lightly.

• Advanced pronunciation words