How to pronounce blear
Say it like BLEER. Blear 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 blear. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- BLEER
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Blear pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- BLEERSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
American vs British pronunciation of blear
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: BLEER.
What does blear mean?
- Dim; unclear from water or rheum.
- Causing or caused by dimness of sight.
- To be blear; to have blear eyes; to look or gaze with blear eyes.
- To make (usually the eyes or eyesight) blurred or dim.
- To blur, make blurry.
- Alternative form of blare
Where does blear come from?
From Middle English blere, related to Low German bleeroged (“bleareyed”), Middle High German blerre (“double vision”), German Blerre (“double vision”).
Words that rhyme with blear
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of blear.
Questions about saying blear
How do you pronounce blear?
Say BLEER. The American pronunciation is /blɪr/. In British English it is /blɪə/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in blear?
Blear is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: BLEER.
Is blear 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 /blɪə/ (BLEER).