How to pronounce cough
Say it like KOF. Cough 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 cough. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- KOF
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Tip: The gh is an f sound and the vowel is short: 'kawf' or 'kof'.
Cough pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- KOFSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ah" in father.
American vs British pronunciation of cough
- The short o is rounded in British English (as in "hot"), but open and unrounded in American English.
British respelling: KOF.
Other ways to say cough
Cough also has this pronunciation, usually with a different meaning or use:
- KAWF /kɔf/
What does cough mean?
- exhale abruptly, as when one has a chest cold or congestion“The smoker coughs all day”
- a sudden noisy expulsion of air from the lungs that clears the air passages; a common symptom of upper respiratory infection or bronchitis or pneumonia or tuberculosis
Words that rhyme with cough
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of cough.
Questions about saying cough
How do you pronounce cough?
Say KOF. The American pronunciation is /kɑf/. In British English it is /kɒf/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in cough?
Cough is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: KOF.
Is cough 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 /kɒf/ (KOF).