How to pronounce build
Say it like BILD. Build 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 build. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- BILD
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Build pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- BILDSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
American vs British pronunciation of build
American and British speakers say build in essentially the same way: /bɪld/ in the US and /bɪld/ in the UK.
British respelling: BILD.
What does build mean?
- make by combining materials and parts“this little pig made his house out of straw”“Some eccentric constructed an electric brassiere warmer”
- form or accumulate steadily“Resistance to the manager's plan built up quickly”“Pressure is building up at the Indian-Pakistani border”
- build or establish something abstract“build a reputation”
- constitution of the human body
- alternative names for the body of a human being“Leonardo studied the human body”“he has a strong physique”
Where does build come from?
From Middle English bilden, bulden, bylden, from Old English byldan and bytlan, bytlian (“to build”), from Proto-West Germanic *buþlijan (“to build”), from Proto-Germanic *buþlą, *bōþlą (“house, dwelling, farm”), from Proto-Indo-European *b
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with build
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of build.
Words that sound like build
Questions about saying build
How do you pronounce build?
Say BILD. The American pronunciation is /bɪld/. In British English it is /bɪld/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in build?
Build is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: BILD.
Do Americans and Brits say build the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /bɪld/ and the British form is /bɪld/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.
What words sound the same as build?
Build sounds the same as billed in American English. The spelling and meaning are what tell them apart.