How to pronounce consume
Say it like kun-SOOM. Consume has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (SOOM).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce consume. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- kun
- SOOM
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Consume pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- kunKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- SOOMSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "oo" in food.
American vs British pronunciation of consume
- British speakers add a light "y" sound before the "oo" (as in "tyoon" for tune).
British respelling: kun-SYOOM.
What does consume mean?
- eat up completely, as with great appetite“Some people can down a pound of meat in the course of one meal”“The teenagers demolished four pizzas among them”
- serve oneself to, or consume regularly“Have another bowl of chicken soup!”“I don't take sugar in my coffee”
- spend extravagantly“waste not, want not”
Where does consume come from?
From Middle English consumen, from Old French consumer, from Latin cōnsūmere, cōnsūmō, from con- (“with, together”) + sūmō (“take; consume”), from sub- + emō (“to buy, take”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₁em- (“to take, distribute
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Opposite meaning
Words that rhyme with consume
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of consume.
Questions about saying consume
How do you pronounce consume?
Say kun-SOOM. The American pronunciation is /kənˈsum/. In British English it is /kənˈsjuːm/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in consume?
Consume has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (SOOM). Broken into parts: kun · SOOM.
Is consume pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. British speakers add a light "y" sound before the "oo" (as in "tyoon" for tune). The British form is /kənˈsjuːm/ (kun-SYOOM).