How to pronounce cliff
Say it like KLIF. Cliff 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 cliff. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- KLIF
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Cliff pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- KLIFSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
American vs British pronunciation of cliff
American and British speakers say cliff in essentially the same way: /klɪf/ in the US and /klɪf/ in the UK.
British respelling: KLIF.
What does cliff mean?
- a steep high face of rock“he stood on a high cliff overlooking the town”“a steep drop”
Where does cliff come from?
From Middle English clyf, from Old English clif, from Proto-West Germanic *klib, from Proto-Germanic *klibą.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with cliff
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of cliff.
Questions about saying cliff
How do you pronounce cliff?
Say KLIF. The American pronunciation is /klɪf/. In British English it is /klɪf/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in cliff?
Cliff is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: KLIF.
Do Americans and Brits say cliff the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /klɪf/ and the British form is /klɪf/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.