How to pronounce cant
Say it like KANT. Cant 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 cant. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- KANT
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Cant pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- KANTSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "a" in cat.
American vs British pronunciation of cant
American and British speakers say cant in essentially the same way: /kænt/ in the US and /kænt/ in the UK.
British respelling: KANT.
What does cant mean?
- stock phrases that have become nonsense through endless repetition
- a slope in the turn of a road or track; the outside is higher than the inside in order to reduce the effects of centrifugal force
- a characteristic language of a particular group (as among thieves)“they don't speak our lingo”
- heel over“The tower is tilting”“The ceiling is slanting”
Where does cant come from?
From Latin cantō, probably via Old Northern French canter (“sing, tell”).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with cant
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of cant.
Words that sound like cant
- can't
Questions about saying cant
How do you pronounce cant?
Say KANT. The American pronunciation is /kænt/. In British English it is /kænt/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in cant?
Cant is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: KANT.
Do Americans and Brits say cant the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /kænt/ and the British form is /kænt/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.
What words sound the same as cant?
Cant sounds the same as can't in American English. The spelling and meaning are what tell them apart.