How to pronounce cling
Say it like KLING. Cling 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 cling. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- KLING
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Cling pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- KLINGSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
American vs British pronunciation of cling
American and British speakers say cling in essentially the same way: /klɪŋ/ in the US and /klɪŋ/ in the UK.
British respelling: KLING.
What does cling mean?
- To hold very tightly, as to not fall off.“Seaweed clung to the anchor.”
- To adhere to an object, without being affixed, in such a way as to follow its contours. Used especially of fabrics and films.
- To cause to adhere to, especially by twining round or embracing.
- To produce a high-pitched ringing sound, like a small bell.
- Fruit (especially peach) whose flesh adheres strongly to the pit.
- Adherence; attachment; devotion.
- An ornament that clings to a window so as to be seen from outside.
Where does cling come from?
From Middle English clingen, from Old English clingan (“to adhere”), from Proto-West Germanic *klingan, from Proto-Germanic *klinganą.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with cling
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of cling.
Questions about saying cling
How do you pronounce cling?
Say KLING. The American pronunciation is /klɪŋ/. In British English it is /klɪŋ/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in cling?
Cling is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: KLING.
Do Americans and Brits say cling the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /klɪŋ/ and the British form is /klɪŋ/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.