How to pronounce awaken
Say it like uh-WAY-kun. Awaken has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (WAY).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce awaken. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- uh
- WAY
- kun
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Awaken 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.
- WAYSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ay" in day.
- kunKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of awaken
American and British speakers say awaken in essentially the same way: /əˈweɪkən/ in the US and /əˈweɪkən/ in the UK.
British respelling: uh-WAY-kun.
What does awaken mean?
- To cause to become awake.
- To stop sleeping; awake.“Each morning he awakens with a smile on his face.”
- To bring into action (something previously dormant); to stimulate.“Awaken your entrepreneurial spirit!”
Where does awaken come from?
From Middle English awakenen or awaknen, from Old English awæcnan or awæcnian, from a- plus wæcnan or wæcnian.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with awaken
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of awaken.
Questions about saying awaken
How do you pronounce awaken?
Say uh-WAY-kun. The American pronunciation is /əˈweɪkən/. In British English it is /əˈweɪkən/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in awaken?
Awaken has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (WAY). Broken into parts: uh · WAY · kun.
Do Americans and Brits say awaken the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /əˈweɪkən/ and the British form is /əˈweɪkən/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.