How to pronounce career
Say it like kuh-REER. Career has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (REER).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce career. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- kuh
- REER
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Career pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- kuhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- REERSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
American vs British pronunciation of career
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: kuh-REER.
What does career mean?
- the particular occupation for which you are trained
- the general progression of your working or professional life“the general had had a distinguished career”“he had a long career in the law”
- move headlong at high speed“The cars careered down the road”“The mob careered through the streets”
Where does career come from?
Mid 16th century, from French carrière (“road; racecourse”), from Italian carriera, from Old Occitan carreira, from Late Latin carrāria based on Latin carrus (“wheeled vehicle”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *ḱr̥sós, from *ḱers- (“to
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with career
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of career.
Questions about saying career
How do you pronounce career?
Say kuh-REER. The American pronunciation is /kəˈrɪr/. In British English it is /kəˈrɪə/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in career?
Career has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (REER). Broken into parts: kuh · REER.
Is career pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead. The British form is /kəˈrɪə/ (kuh-REER).