How to pronounce bray
Say it like BRAY. Bray 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 bray. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- BRAY
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Bray pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- BRAYSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ay" in day.
American vs British pronunciation of bray
American and British speakers say bray in essentially the same way: /breɪ/ in the US and /breɪ/ in the UK.
British respelling: BRAY.
What does bray mean?
- The cry of an animal, now chiefly that of animals related to the ass or donkey, or the camel.
- Any discordant, grating, or harsh sound.
- Of an animal (now chiefly of animals related to the ass or donkey, and the camel): to make its cry.“Whenever I walked by, that donkey brayed at me.”
- To make a harsh, discordant sound like a donkey's bray.“He threw back his head and brayed with laughter.”
- To make or utter (a shout, sound, etc.) discordantly, loudly, or in a harsh and grating manner.
- To hit (someone or something).
Where does bray come from?
The noun is derived from the verb, or from Middle English brai, brait (“shriek; outcry”), from Old French brai, brait (“a cry”), from braire (“of an animal: to bray; of a person: to shout; to cry, weep”); see above.
Words that rhyme with bray
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of bray.
Questions about saying bray
How do you pronounce bray?
Say BRAY. The American pronunciation is /breɪ/. In British English it is /breɪ/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in bray?
Bray is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: BRAY.
Do Americans and Brits say bray the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /breɪ/ and the British form is /breɪ/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.