How to pronounce dire
Say it like DIRE. Dire 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 dire. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- DIRE
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Dire pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- DIRESay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in time.
American vs British pronunciation of dire
- American English uses 1 syllable and British English 2.
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: DY-uh.
What does dire mean?
- fraught with extreme danger; nearly hopeless“a desperate illness”“on all fronts the Allies were in a desperate situation due to lack of materiel”
- causing fear or dread or terror“the awful war”“an awful risk”
Where does dire come from?
Borrowed from Latin dīrus (“fearful, ominous”).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with dire
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of dire.
Questions about saying dire
How do you pronounce dire?
Say DIRE. The American pronunciation is /daɪr/. In British English it is /ˈdaɪə/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in dire?
Dire is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: DIRE.
Is dire pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. American English uses 1 syllable and British English 2. The British form is /ˈdaɪə/ (DY-uh).