How to pronounce altogether
Say it like awl-tuh-GHETH-er. Altogether has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the third one (GHETH).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce altogether. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- awl
- tuh
- GHETH
- er
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Altogether pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- awlGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "aw" in law.
- tuhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- GHETHSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
- erKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "er" in butter.
American vs British pronunciation of altogether
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: awl-tuh-GHETH-uh.
What does altogether mean?
- to a complete degree or to the full or entire extent (whole is often used informally for wholly)“he was wholly convinced”“entirely satisfied with the meal”
- with everything included or counted“altogether he earns close to a million dollars”
- with everything considered (and neglecting details)“altogether, I'm sorry it happened”“all in all, it's not so bad”
- informal terms for nakedness“in the raw”“in the altogether”
Where does altogether come from?
The noun sense (nakedness): was popularized in George du Maurier's 1894 novel Trilby.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with altogether
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of altogether.
Questions about saying altogether
How do you pronounce altogether?
Say awl-tuh-GHETH-er. The American pronunciation is /ˌɔltəˈɡɛðɚ/. In British English it is /ˌɔːltəˈɡɛðə/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in altogether?
Altogether has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the third one (GHETH). Broken into parts: awl · tuh · GHETH · er.
Is altogether pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead. The British form is /ˌɔːltəˈɡɛðə/ (awl-tuh-GHETH-uh).