How to pronounce cuss
Say it like KUHS. Cuss 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 cuss. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- KUHS
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Cuss pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- KUHSSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "u" in cup.
American vs British pronunciation of cuss
American and British speakers say cuss in essentially the same way: /kʌs/ in the US and /kʌs/ in the UK.
British respelling: KUHS.
What does cuss mean?
- A curse.
- A curse word.
- Fellow, person.“He's an abrupt-sounding cuss, but good-hearted too.”
- A fellow, person.
- To use cursing, to use bad language, to speak profanely.
Where does cuss come from?
An American English variant of curse; for a similar phonetic development, compare ass (“buttocks”), from arse, in which the r was originally pronounced (as in curse).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with cuss
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of cuss.
Questions about saying cuss
How do you pronounce cuss?
Say KUHS. The American pronunciation is /kʌs/. In British English it is /kʌs/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in cuss?
Cuss is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: KUHS.
Do Americans and Brits say cuss the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /kʌs/ and the British form is /kʌs/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.