How to pronounce bolt
Say it like BOHLT. Bolt 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 bolt. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- BOHLT
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Bolt pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- BOHLTSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "o" in go.
American vs British pronunciation of bolt
- The long o starts further forward in British English, closer to "uh-oo" than the American "oh".
British respelling: BOHLT.
What does bolt mean?
- a discharge of lightning accompanied by thunder
- a sliding bar in a breech-loading firearm that ejects an empty cartridge and replaces it and closes the breech
- the part of a lock that is engaged or withdrawn with a key
- move or jump suddenly“She bolted from her seat”
- secure or lock with a bolt“bolt the door”
- swallow hastily
- in a rigid manner“the body was rigidly erect”“he sat bolt upright”
- directly“he ran bang into the pole”“ran slap into her”
Where does bolt come from?
The association of thunder and lightning with 'bolts' is found back into prehistory in many cultures, at least in Eurasia.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with bolt
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of bolt.
Questions about saying bolt
How do you pronounce bolt?
Say BOHLT. The American pronunciation is /boʊlt/. In British English it is /bəʊlt/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in bolt?
Bolt is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: BOHLT.
Is bolt pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. The long o starts further forward in British English, closer to "uh-oo" than the American "oh". The British form is /bəʊlt/ (BOHLT).