How to pronounce distance
Say it like DIS-tuns. Distance has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (DIS).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce distance. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- DIS
- tuns
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Distance pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- DISSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- tunsKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of distance
American and British speakers say distance in essentially the same way: /ˈdɪstəns/ in the US and /ˈdɪstəns/ in the UK.
British respelling: DIS-tuns.
What does distance mean?
- the property created by the space between two objects or points
- a distant region“I could see it in the distance”
- size of the gap between two places“the distance from New York to Chicago”“he determined the length of the shortest line segment joining the two points”
- keep at a distance“we have to distance ourselves from these events in order to continue living”
- go far ahead of“He outdistanced the other runners”
Words that rhyme with distance
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of distance.
Questions about saying distance
How do you pronounce distance?
Say DIS-tuns. The American pronunciation is /ˈdɪstəns/. In British English it is /ˈdɪstəns/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in distance?
Distance has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (DIS). Broken into parts: DIS · tuns.
Do Americans and Brits say distance the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈdɪstəns/ and the British form is /ˈdɪstəns/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.