How to pronounce awk
Say it like AWK. Awk 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 awk. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- AWK
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Awk pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- AWKSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "aw" in law.
American vs British pronunciation of awk
American and British speakers say awk in essentially the same way: /ɔk/ in the US and /ɔːk/ in the UK.
British respelling: AWK.
What does awk mean?
- Awkward; uncomfortable.
- Alternative spelling of och.
Where does awk come from?
From Middle English awke, from Old Norse ǫfugr, ǫfigr, afigr (“turned backwards”) (whence Danish avet (“backwards”), Swedish avig (“turned backwards”)), from Proto-Germanic *abuhaz.
Words that rhyme with awk
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of awk.
Questions about saying awk
How do you pronounce awk?
Say AWK. The American pronunciation is /ɔk/. In British English it is /ɔːk/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in awk?
Awk is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: AWK.
Do Americans and Brits say awk the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ɔk/ and the British form is /ɔːk/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.