How to pronounce bough
Say it like BOW. Bough 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 bough. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- BOW
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Bough pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- BOWSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ow" in now.
American vs British pronunciation of bough
American and British speakers say bough in essentially the same way: /baʊ/ in the US and /baʊ/ in the UK.
British respelling: BOW.
What does bough mean?
- A tree-branch, usually a primary one directly attached to the trunk.“When the bough breaks, the cradle will fall. (Rock-a-bye Baby)”
Words that rhyme with bough
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of bough.
Words that sound like bough
Questions about saying bough
How do you pronounce bough?
Say BOW. The American pronunciation is /baʊ/. In British English it is /baʊ/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in bough?
Bough is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: BOW.
Do Americans and Brits say bough the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /baʊ/ and the British form is /baʊ/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.
What words sound the same as bough?
Bough sounds the same as bow in American English. The spelling and meaning are what tell them apart.