How to pronounce active
Say it like AK-tiv. Active has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (AK).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce active. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- AK
- tiv
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Active pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- AKSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "a" in cat.
- tivKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
American vs British pronunciation of active
American and British speakers say active in essentially the same way: /ˈæktɪv/ in the US and /ˈæktɪv/ in the UK.
British respelling: AK-tiv.
What does active mean?
- tending to become more severe or wider in scope“active tuberculosis”
- engaged in or ready for military or naval operations“on active duty”“the platoon is combat-ready”
- disposed to take action or effectuate change“a director who takes an active interest in corporate operations”“an active antagonism”
- chemical agent capable of activity
- the voice used to indicate that the grammatical subject of the verb is performing the action or causing the happening denoted by the verb“`The boy threw the ball' uses the active voice”
- a person who is a participating member of an organization“the club issues a list of members, both the actives and the retirees”
Where does active come from?
From Middle English actyf, from Old French actif, from Latin āctīv(us), from agere (“to do, to act”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₂éǵeti.
Similar and opposite words
Opposite meaning
Questions about saying active
How do you pronounce active?
Say AK-tiv. The American pronunciation is /ˈæktɪv/. In British English it is /ˈæktɪv/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in active?
Active has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (AK). Broken into parts: AK · tiv.
Do Americans and Brits say active the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈæktɪv/ and the British form is /ˈæktɪv/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.