How to pronounce despairs
Say it like dih-SPAIRZ. Despairs has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (SPAIRZ).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce despairs. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- dih
- SPAIRZ
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Despairs pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- dihKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- SPAIRZSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
American vs British pronunciation of despairs
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: dih-SPAIRZ.
What does despairs mean?
- third-person singular simple present indicative of despair How to pronounce despair
Words that rhyme with despairs
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of despairs.
Questions about saying despairs
How do you pronounce despairs?
Say dih-SPAIRZ. The American pronunciation is /dɪˈspɛrz/. In British English it is /dɪˈspɛəz/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in despairs?
Despairs has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (SPAIRZ). Broken into parts: dih · SPAIRZ.
Is despairs 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 /dɪˈspɛəz/ (dih-SPAIRZ).