How to pronounce bypass
Say it like BY-pas. Bypass has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (BY).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce bypass. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- BY
- pas
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Bypass pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- BYSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in time.
- pasGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "a" in cat.
American vs British pronunciation of bypass
- British speakers use the long "ah" vowel of father where Americans use the "a" of cat.
British respelling: BY-pahs.
What does bypass mean?
- a highway that encircles an urban area so that traffic does not have to pass through the center
- a surgically created shunt (usually around a damaged part)
- a conductor having low resistance in parallel with another device to divert a fraction of the current
- avoid something unpleasant or laborious“You cannot bypass these rules!”
Where does bypass come from?
From Middle English *bypassen, *bipassen (suggested by past participle by-past, bipast), equivalent to by- + pass.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Questions about saying bypass
How do you pronounce bypass?
Say BY-pas. The American pronunciation is /ˈbaɪˌpæs/. In British English it is /ˈbaɪˌpɑːs/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in bypass?
Bypass has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (BY). Broken into parts: BY · pas.
Is bypass pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. British speakers use the long "ah" vowel of father where Americans use the "a" of cat. The British form is /ˈbaɪˌpɑːs/ (BY-pahs).