How to pronounce bar
Say it like BAR. Bar is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress.
- BAR
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Bar pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- BARSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ah" in father.
American vs British pronunciation of bar
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: BAH.
What does bar mean?
- A solid, more or less rigid object of metal or wood with a uniform cross-section smaller than its length.“The window was protected by steel bars.”
- A solid metal object with uniform (round, square, hexagonal, octagonal or rectangular) cross-section; in the US its smallest dimension is ¹⁄₄ inch or greater, a piece of thinner material being called a strip.“Ancient Sparta used iron bars instead of handy coins in more valuable alloy, to physically discourage the use of money.”
- A cuboid piece of any solid commodity.“bar of chocolate”
- To obstruct the passage of (someone or something).“Our way was barred by a huge rockfall.”
- To prohibit.“I couldn't get into the nightclub because I had been barred.”
- To lock or bolt with a bar.“to bar the door”
- Except, other than, besides.“He invited everyone to his wedding bar his ex-wife.”
Where does bar come from?
From Middle English barre, from Old French barre (“beam, bar, gate, barrier”), from Vulgar Latin *barra, of uncertain origin.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Opposite meaning
- unbar
Words that rhyme with bar
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of bar.
Words that sound like bar
Questions about saying bar
How do you pronounce bar?
Say BAR. The American pronunciation is /bɑr/. In British English it is /bɑː/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in bar?
Bar is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: BAR.
Is bar pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead. The British form is /bɑː/ (BAH).
What words sound the same as bar?
Bar sounds the same as barr, barre in American English. The spelling and meaning are what tell them apart.