How to pronounce cost
Say it like KOST. Cost 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 cost. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- KOST
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Cost pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- KOSTSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ah" in father.
American vs British pronunciation of cost
- The short o is rounded in British English (as in "hot"), but open and unrounded in American English.
British respelling: KOST.
Other ways to say cost
Cost also has this pronunciation, usually with a different meaning or use:
- KAWST /kɔst/
What does cost mean?
- the total spent for goods or services including money and time and labor
- the property of having material worth (often indicated by the amount of money something would bring if sold)“the fluctuating monetary value of gold and silver”“he puts a high price on his services”
- value measured by what must be given or done or undergone to obtain something“the cost in human life was enormous”“the price of success is hard work”
- be priced at“These shoes cost $100”
- require to lose, suffer, or sacrifice“This mistake cost him his job”
Where does cost come from?
From Middle English costen, from Old French coster, couster (“to cost”), from Medieval Latin cōstō, from Latin cōnstō (“stand together”).
Questions about saying cost
How do you pronounce cost?
Say KOST. The American pronunciation is /kɑst/. In British English it is /kɒst/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in cost?
Cost is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: KOST.
Is cost pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. The short o is rounded in British English (as in "hot"), but open and unrounded in American English. The British form is /kɒst/ (KOST).