How to pronounce fall
Say it like FAWL. Fall 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 fall. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- FAWL
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Fall pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- FAWLSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "aw" in law.
American vs British pronunciation of fall
American and British speakers say fall in essentially the same way: /fɔl/ in the US and /fɔːl/ in the UK.
British respelling: FAWL.
Other ways to say fall
Fall also has this pronunciation, usually with a different meaning or use:
- FAHL /fɑl/
What does fall mean?
- descend in free fall under the influence of gravity“The branch fell from the tree”“The unfortunate hiker fell into a crevasse”
- move downward and lower, but not necessarily all the way“The temperature is going down”“The barometer is falling”
- pass suddenly and passively into a state of body or mind“fall into a trap”“She fell ill”
- the season when the leaves fall from the trees“in the fall of 1973”
- a sudden drop from an upright position“he had a nasty spill on the ice”
- the lapse of mankind into sinfulness because of the sin of Adam and Eve“women have been blamed ever since the Fall”
Where does fall come from?
Sense of "autumn" is attested by the 1660s in England as a shortening of fall of the leaf (1540s), from the falling of leaves during this season.
Similar and opposite words
Opposite meaning
Words that rhyme with fall
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of fall.
Questions about saying fall
How do you pronounce fall?
Say FAWL. The American pronunciation is /fɔl/. In British English it is /fɔːl/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in fall?
Fall is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: FAWL.
Do Americans and Brits say fall the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /fɔl/ and the British form is /fɔːl/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.