How to pronounce dispense
Say it like dih-SPENS. Dispense has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (SPENS).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce dispense. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- dih
- SPENS
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Dispense 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.
- SPENSSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
American vs British pronunciation of dispense
American and British speakers say dispense in essentially the same way: /dɪˈspɛns/ in the US and /dɪˈspɛns/ in the UK.
British respelling: dih-SPENS.
What does dispense mean?
- To issue, distribute, or give out.
- To apply, as laws to particular cases; to administer; to execute; to manage; to direct.
- To supply or make up a medicine or prescription.“The pharmacist dispensed my tablets.”
Where does dispense come from?
From Middle English, from Old French dispenser, from Latin dispēnsāre (“to weigh out, pay out, distribute, regulate, manage, control, dispense”), frequentative of dispendere (“to weigh out”), from dis- (“apart”) + pendere (“to weigh”).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with dispense
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of dispense.
Questions about saying dispense
How do you pronounce dispense?
Say dih-SPENS. The American pronunciation is /dɪˈspɛns/. In British English it is /dɪˈspɛns/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in dispense?
Dispense has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (SPENS). Broken into parts: dih · SPENS.
Do Americans and Brits say dispense the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /dɪˈspɛns/ and the British form is /dɪˈspɛns/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.