How to pronounce earn
Say it like URN. Earn 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 earn. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- URN
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Earn pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- URNSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ur" in nurse.
American vs British pronunciation of earn
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: URN.
What does earn mean?
- earn on some commercial or business transaction; earn as salary or wages“How much do you make a month in your new job?”“She earns a lot in her new job”
- acquire or deserve by one's efforts or actions“its beauty won Paris the name 'City of Lights'”
Where does earn come from?
From Middle English ernen, from Old English earnian, from Proto-West Germanic *aʀanōn, from Proto-Germanic *azanōną.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with earn
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of earn.
Words that sound like earn
Questions about saying earn
How do you pronounce earn?
Say URN. The American pronunciation is /ɝn/. In British English it is /ɜːn/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in earn?
Earn is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: URN.
Is earn 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 /ɜːn/ (URN).
What words sound the same as earn?
Earn sounds the same as urn in American English. The spelling and meaning are what tell them apart.