How to pronounce cleat
Say it like KLEET. Cleat 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 cleat. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- KLEET
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Cleat pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- KLEETSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
American vs British pronunciation of cleat
American and British speakers say cleat in essentially the same way: /klit/ in the US and /kliːt/ in the UK.
British respelling: KLEET.
What does cleat mean?
- A strip of wood or iron fastened on transversely to something in order to give strength, prevent warping, hold position, etc.
- A continuous metal strip, or angled piece, used to secure metal components.
- A device to quickly affix a line or rope, and from which it is also easy to release.
- To strengthen with a cleat.
- To tie off, affix, stopper a line or rope, especially to a cleat.
Where does cleat come from?
From Middle English clete, from Old English *clēat (“block, wedge”), from Proto-West Germanic *klaut, from Proto-Germanic *klautaz (“firm lump”), from Proto-Indo-European *gelewd-, from *gley- (“to glue, stick together, form into a ball”).
Words that rhyme with cleat
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of cleat.
Questions about saying cleat
How do you pronounce cleat?
Say KLEET. The American pronunciation is /klit/. In British English it is /kliːt/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in cleat?
Cleat is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: KLEET.
Do Americans and Brits say cleat the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /klit/ and the British form is /kliːt/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.