How to pronounce bounce
Say it like BOWNS. Bounce is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress.
- BOWNS
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Bounce pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- BOWNSSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ow" in now.
American vs British pronunciation of bounce
American and British speakers say bounce in essentially the same way: /baʊns/ in the US and /baʊns/ in the UK.
British respelling: BOWNS.
What does bounce mean?
- To change the direction of motion after hitting an obstacle.“The tennis ball bounced off the wall before coming to rest in the ditch.”
- To move quickly up and then down (or vice versa), once or repeatedly.“He bounces nervously on his chair.”
- To cause to move quickly up and down, or back and forth, once or repeatedly.“He bounced the child on his knee.”
- A change of direction of motion after hitting the ground or an obstacle.
- A movement up and then down (or vice versa), once or repeatedly.
- A hypothetical event where a collapsing system, such as a universe in the Big Bounce theory, reaches a point of extreme density and then rebounds back into an expanding phase, essentially reversing the contraction due to quantum mechanical effects.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Opposite meaning
Words that rhyme with bounce
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of bounce.
Questions about saying bounce
How do you pronounce bounce?
Say BOWNS. The American pronunciation is /baʊns/. In British English it is /baʊns/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in bounce?
Bounce is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: BOWNS.
Do Americans and Brits say bounce the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /baʊns/ and the British form is /baʊns/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.