How to pronounce dark
Say it like DARK. Dark is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress.
- DARK
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Dark pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- DARKSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ah" in father.
American vs British pronunciation of dark
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: DAHK.
What does dark mean?
- Having an absolute or (more often) relative lack of light.“The room was too dark for reading.”
- Extinguished.“Dark signals should be treated as all-way stop signs.”
- Deprived of sight; blind.
- A complete or (more often) partial absence of light.“Dark surrounds us completely.”
- Ignorance.“We kept him in the dark.”
- Nightfall.“It was after dark before we got to playing baseball.”
- To grow or become dark, darken.
- To remain in the dark, lurk, lie hidden or concealed.
- To make dark, darken; to obscure.
Where does dark come from?
From Middle English derk, from Old English deorc, from Proto-West Germanic *derk (“dark”), of uncertain origin, but possibly from Proto-Indo-European *dʰerg- (“dim, dull”), from Proto-Indo-European *dʰer- (“dull, dirty”).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Opposite meaning
Words that rhyme with dark
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of dark.
Questions about saying dark
How do you pronounce dark?
Say DARK. The American pronunciation is /dɑrk/. In British English it is /dɑːk/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in dark?
Dark is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: DARK.
Is dark pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead. The British form is /dɑːk/ (DAHK).