How to pronounce astonish
Say it like uh-STAH-nish. Astonish has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (STAH).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce astonish. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- uh
- STAH
- nish
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Astonish 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.
- STAHSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ah" in father.
- nishKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
American vs British pronunciation of astonish
- The short o is rounded in British English (as in "hot"), but open and unrounded in American English.
British respelling: uh-STON-ish.
What does astonish mean?
- To surprise greatly.
Where does astonish come from?
Probably an alteration (due to words ending in -ish: abolish, banish, cherish, establish, furnish, etc.) of earlier astony, astone, astun (“to astonish, stun”), from Middle English astoneyen, astonen (“to stun, astonish”), variant of stonen
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with astonish
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of astonish.
Questions about saying astonish
How do you pronounce astonish?
Say uh-STAH-nish. The American pronunciation is /əˈstɑnɪʃ/. In British English it is /əˈstɒnɪʃ/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in astonish?
Astonish has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (STAH). Broken into parts: uh · STAH · nish.
Is astonish pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. The short o is rounded in British English (as in "hot"), but open and unrounded in American English. The British form is /əˈstɒnɪʃ/ (uh-STON-ish).