How to pronounce bulge
Say it like BUHLJ. Bulge 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 bulge. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- BUHLJ
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Bulge pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- BUHLJSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "u" in cup.
American vs British pronunciation of bulge
American and British speakers say bulge in essentially the same way: /bʌldʒ/ in the US and /bʌldʒ/ in the UK.
British respelling: BUHLJ.
What does bulge mean?
- An object which is sticking out from a surface; a swelling, protuberant part; a bending outward, especially when caused by pressure.“a bulge in a wall”
- The bilge or protuberant part of a cask.
- A rounded fleshy mass, such as on a camel or zebu.
- To stick out from a surface without breaking it.“He stood six feet tall, with muscular arms bulging out of his black T-shirt.”
- (of a container, etc.) To have the surface stretched by something pushing out; to swell; to belly.“The submarine bulged because of the enormous air pressure inside.”
- To bilge, as a ship; to founder.
Where does bulge come from?
From Middle English bulge (“leather bag; hump”), from Old Northern French boulge (“leather bag”), from Late Latin bulga (“leather sack”), from Gaulish *bulga, *bulgos, from Proto-Celtic *bolgos (“sack, bag, stomach”).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with bulge
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of bulge.
Questions about saying bulge
How do you pronounce bulge?
Say BUHLJ. The American pronunciation is /bʌldʒ/. In British English it is /bʌldʒ/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in bulge?
Bulge is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: BUHLJ.
Do Americans and Brits say bulge the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /bʌldʒ/ and the British form is /bʌldʒ/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.