How to pronounce awe
Say it like AH. Awe is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress.
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce awe. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- AH
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Awe pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- AHSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ah" in father.
American vs British pronunciation of awe
American and British speakers say awe in essentially the same way: /ɑ/ in the US and /ɔː/ in the UK.
British respelling: AW.
Other ways to say awe
Awe also has this pronunciation, usually with a different meaning or use:
- AW /ɔ/
What does awe mean?
- an overwhelming feeling of wonder or admiration“he stared over the edge with a feeling of awe”
- a feeling of profound respect for someone or something“the fear of God”“the Chinese reverence for the dead”
- inspire awe in“The famous professor awed the undergraduates”
Where does awe come from?
From Middle English aw, awe, agh, awȝe, borrowed from Old Norse agi, from Proto-Germanic *agaz (“terror, dread”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₂egʰ- (“to be upset, afraid”).
Words that rhyme with awe
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of awe.
Questions about saying awe
How do you pronounce awe?
Say AH. The American pronunciation is /ɑ/. In British English it is /ɔː/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in awe?
Awe is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: AH.
Do Americans and Brits say awe the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ɑ/ and the British form is /ɔː/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.