How to pronounce best
Say it like BEST. Best 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 best. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- BEST
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Best pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- BESTSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
American vs British pronunciation of best
American and British speakers say best in essentially the same way: /bɛst/ in the US and /bɛst/ in the UK.
British respelling: BEST.
What does best mean?
- the supreme effort one can make“they did their best”
- the person who is most outstanding or excellent; someone who tops all others“he could beat the best of them”
- Canadian physiologist (born in the United States) who assisted F. G. Banting in research leading to the discovery of insulin (1899-1978)
- in a most excellent way or manner“he played best after a couple of martinis”
- it would be sensible“you'd best stay at home”
- from a position of superiority or authority“father knows best”“I know better.”
- get the better of“the goal was to best the competition”
Similar and opposite words
Opposite meaning
Words that rhyme with best
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of best.
Questions about saying best
How do you pronounce best?
Say BEST. The American pronunciation is /bɛst/. In British English it is /bɛst/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in best?
Best is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: BEST.
Do Americans and Brits say best the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /bɛst/ and the British form is /bɛst/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.