How to pronounce cannonball
Say it like KAN-un-bawl. Cannonball has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (KAN).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce cannonball. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- KAN
- un
- bawl
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Cannonball pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- KANSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "a" in cat.
- unKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- bawlGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "aw" in law.
American vs British pronunciation of cannonball
American and British speakers say cannonball in essentially the same way: /ˈkænənˌbɔl/ in the US and /ˈkænənˌbɔːl/ in the UK.
British respelling: KAN-un-bawl.
What does cannonball mean?
- A spherical projectile fired from a smoothbore cannon.
- An explosive-filled hollow iron sphere fused through a hole and intended to explode at a calculated distance rather than explode on impact.
- The act of jumping (typically into a swimming pool) with the legs bent and the arms wrapped around the knees to create a large splash, mimicking the flight and shape of a cannonball.
- To jump or dive into water, performing a cannonball landing.“He cannonballed into the pool, drenching us all.”
- To career; to move rapidly.“The car cannonballed past.”
Where does cannonball come from?
From cannon + ball from being a round ball that is fired from a cannon.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Questions about saying cannonball
How do you pronounce cannonball?
Say KAN-un-bawl. The American pronunciation is /ˈkænənˌbɔl/. In British English it is /ˈkænənˌbɔːl/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in cannonball?
Cannonball has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (KAN). Broken into parts: KAN · un · bawl.
Do Americans and Brits say cannonball the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈkænənˌbɔl/ and the British form is /ˈkænənˌbɔːl/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.