How to pronounce clap
Say it like KLAP. Clap 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 clap. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- KLAP
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Clap pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- KLAPSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "a" in cat.
American vs British pronunciation of clap
American and British speakers say clap in essentially the same way: /klæp/ in the US and /klæp/ in the UK.
British respelling: KLAP.
What does clap mean?
- put quickly or forcibly“The judge clapped him in jail”
- cause to strike the air in flight“The big bird clapped its wings”
- clap one's hands or shout after performances to indicate approval
- a sudden very loud noise
- a common venereal disease caused by the bacterium Neisseria gonorrhoeae; symptoms are painful urination and pain around the urethra
- a sharp abrupt noise as if two objects hit together; may be repeated
Where does clap come from?
From Middle English clappen, from Old English clæppan, *clappian, from Proto-West Germanic *klappijan, *klappōn, from Proto-Germanic *klappōną (“to clap”).
Words that rhyme with clap
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of clap.
Questions about saying clap
How do you pronounce clap?
Say KLAP. The American pronunciation is /klæp/. In British English it is /klæp/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in clap?
Clap is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: KLAP.
Do Americans and Brits say clap the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /klæp/ and the British form is /klæp/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.