How to pronounce back
Say it like BAK. Back is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress.
- BAK
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Back pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- BAKSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "a" in cat.
American vs British pronunciation of back
American and British speakers say back in essentially the same way: /bæk/ in the US and /bæk/ in the UK.
British respelling: BAK.
What does back mean?
- At or near the rear.“Go in the back door of the house.”
- Returned or restored to a previous place or condition.“He was on vacation, but now he’s back.”
- Not current.“I’d like to find a back issue of that magazine.”
- To or in a previous condition or place.“He gave back the money.”
- In a direction opposite to that in which someone or something is facing or normally pointing.“Someone pushed me in the chest and I fell back.”
- In a direction opposite to the usual or desired direction of movement or progress, physically or figuratively.“Wind the film back a few frames.”
- The rear of the body, especially the part between the neck and the end of the spine and opposite the chest and belly.“Could you please scratch my back?”
- The spine and associated tissues.“I hurt my back lifting those crates.”
- Large and attractive buttocks.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Opposite meaning
Words that rhyme with back
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of back.
Words that sound like back
Questions about saying back
How do you pronounce back?
Say BAK. The American pronunciation is /bæk/. In British English it is /bæk/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in back?
Back is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: BAK.
Do Americans and Brits say back the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /bæk/ and the British form is /bæk/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.
What words sound the same as back?
Back sounds the same as bak in American English. The spelling and meaning are what tell them apart.