How to pronounce bum
Say it like BUHM. Bum 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 bum. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- BUHM
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Bum pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- BUHMSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "u" in cup.
American vs British pronunciation of bum
American and British speakers say bum in essentially the same way: /bʌm/ in the US and /bʌm/ in the UK.
British respelling: BUHM.
What does bum mean?
- a person who is deemed to be despicable or contemptible“only a rotter would do that”“kill the rat”
- a vagrant“a homeless tramp”“he tried to help the really down-and-out bums”
- person who does no work“a lazy bum”
- ask for and get free; be a parasite
- be lazy or idle“Her son is just bumming around all day”
- of very poor quality; flimsy
Where does bum come from?
The anal sex senses (noun and verb), as well as the adjective (esp.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with bum
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of bum.
Questions about saying bum
How do you pronounce bum?
Say BUHM. The American pronunciation is /bʌm/. In British English it is /bʌm/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in bum?
Bum is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: BUHM.
Do Americans and Brits say bum the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /bʌm/ and the British form is /bʌm/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.