How to pronounce fast
Say it like FAST. Fast 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 fast. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- FAST
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Fast pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- FASTSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "a" in cat.
American vs British pronunciation of fast
- British speakers use the long "ah" vowel of father where Americans use the "a" of cat.
British respelling: FAHST.
What does fast mean?
- quickly or rapidly (often used as a combining form)“how fast can he get here?”“ran as fast as he could”
- firmly or closely“held fast to the rope”“her foot was stuck fast”
- abstaining from food
- acting or moving or capable of acting or moving quickly“fast film”“on the fast track in school”
- (used of timepieces) indicating a time ahead of or later than the correct time“my watch is fast”
- at a rapid tempo“the band played a fast fox trot”
Where does fast come from?
The development of “rapid” from an original sense of “secure” apparently happened first in the adverb and then transferred to the adjective; compare hard in expressions like “to run hard”.
Similar and opposite words
Opposite meaning
Words that rhyme with fast
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of fast.
Questions about saying fast
How do you pronounce fast?
Say FAST. The American pronunciation is /fæst/. In British English it is /fɑːst/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in fast?
Fast is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: FAST.
Is fast pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. British speakers use the long "ah" vowel of father where Americans use the "a" of cat. The British form is /fɑːst/ (FAHST).