How to pronounce face
Say it like FAYS. Face 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 face. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- FAYS
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Face pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- FAYSSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ay" in day.
American vs British pronunciation of face
American and British speakers say face in essentially the same way: /feɪs/ in the US and /feɪs/ in the UK.
British respelling: FAYS.
What does face mean?
- the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear“he washed his face”“I wish I had seen the look on his face when he got the news”
- the feelings expressed on a person's face“a sad expression”“a look of triumph”
- the general outward appearance of something“the face of the city is changing”
- deal with (something unpleasant) head on“You must confront your problems”“He faced the terrible consequences of his mistakes”
- oppose, as in hostility or a competition“You must confront your opponent”“Jackson faced Smith in the boxing ring”
- be oriented in a certain direction, often with respect to another reference point; be opposite to“The house looks north”“My backyard look onto the pond”
Words that rhyme with face
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of face.
Questions about saying face
How do you pronounce face?
Say FAYS. The American pronunciation is /feɪs/. In British English it is /feɪs/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in face?
Face is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: FAYS.
Do Americans and Brits say face the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /feɪs/ and the British form is /feɪs/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.