robe · rope

Same vowel /oʊ/ — only the final consonant differs: robe /roʊb/ ends with a voiced buzz, rope /roʊp/ ends with a voiceless pop.

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Same vowel /oʊ/, same number of letters — only the final consonant differs. robe ends with voiced /b/ — your throat vibrates. rope ends with voiceless /p/ — a sharp stop, no vibration.

⠿ reorder

A fluffy white bathrobe hanging on a hook

noun — a long loose garment — 'bath robe' · 'a judge's robe'

mouth shape

diphthong /oʊ/ — lips round and glide forward — ends with voiced /b/ — lips together with throat vibrating

robe

/roʊb/

vowel length

diphthong /oʊ/

⠿ reorder

noun — a thick cord made of twisted fibres — 'a jump rope' · 'tug of rope'

mouth shape

same diphthong /oʊ/ — but ends with voiceless /p/ — lips press together, no throat vibration

rope

/roʊp/

vowel length

diphthong /oʊ/

Key difference

Same vowel /oʊ/ in both. robe /b/: voiced — lips press together while throat buzzes — longer, softer stop. rope /p/: voiceless — lips press together, release a short burst of air — no throat vibration.

Example sentences

robe:“She wrapped herself in a fluffy robe after the shower.”

robe:“The judge wore a black robe in court.”

rope:“Tie the boat to the dock with this rope.”

rope:“The children were jumping rope in the playground.”

Hear it in a sentence

“She wrapped herself in a thick robe straight after the shower.”

“The climber tied the rope around his waist and began the descent.”

Hear it in the wild

Real speech from native speakers — the most reliable way to check a pronunciation, since automated audio can vary by device and browser.

YouGlish↗

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