How to pronounce approach
Say it like uh-PROHCH. Approach has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (PROHCH).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce approach. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- uh
- PROHCH
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Approach pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- uhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- PROHCHSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "o" in go.
American vs British pronunciation of approach
- The long o starts further forward in British English, closer to "uh-oo" than the American "oh".
British respelling: uh-PROHCH.
What does approach mean?
- move towards“We were approaching our destination”“They are drawing near”
- come near or verge on, resemble, come nearer in quality, or character“This borders on discrimination!”“His playing approaches that of Horowitz”
- begin to deal with“approach a task”“go about a difficult problem”
- ideas or actions intended to deal with a problem or situation“his approach to every problem is to draw up a list of pros and cons”“an attack on inflation”
- the act of drawing spatially closer to something“the hunter's approach scattered the geese”
- a way of entering or leaving“he took a wrong turn on the access to the bridge”
Where does approach come from?
From Middle English aprochen, borrowed from Old French aprochier (modern French approcher), from Late Latin appropiāre, a verb based on Latin prope (“near”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *pro- (a variant of *per- (“before, in front;
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with approach
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of approach.
Questions about saying approach
How do you pronounce approach?
Say uh-PROHCH. The American pronunciation is /əˈproʊtʃ/. In British English it is /əˈprəʊtʃ/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in approach?
Approach has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (PROHCH). Broken into parts: uh · PROHCH.
Is approach pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. The long o starts further forward in British English, closer to "uh-oo" than the American "oh". The British form is /əˈprəʊtʃ/ (uh-PROHCH).