How to pronounce distraught
Say it like dih-STRAWT. Distraught has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (STRAWT).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce distraught. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- dih
- STRAWT
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Distraught 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.
- STRAWTSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "aw" in law.
American vs British pronunciation of distraught
American and British speakers say distraught in essentially the same way: /dɪˈstrɔt/ in the US and /dɪˈstrɔːt/ in the UK.
British respelling: dih-STRAWT.
What does distraught mean?
- Deeply hurt, saddened, or worried; incapacitated by distress.“His distraught widow cried for days, feeling very alone.”
- Mad; insane.
Where does distraught come from?
From Middle English distraught, blend of distract (“distracted”) and straught (“stretched, distraught”), past participle of strecchen (“to stretch”).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with distraught
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of distraught.
Questions about saying distraught
How do you pronounce distraught?
Say dih-STRAWT. The American pronunciation is /dɪˈstrɔt/. In British English it is /dɪˈstrɔːt/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in distraught?
Distraught has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (STRAWT). Broken into parts: dih · STRAWT.
Do Americans and Brits say distraught the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /dɪˈstrɔt/ and the British form is /dɪˈstrɔːt/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.