How to pronounce fateful
Say it like FAYT-ful. Fateful has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (FAYT).
- FAYT
- ful
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Fateful pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- FAYTSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ay" in day.
- fulKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of fateful
American and British speakers say fateful in essentially the same way: /ˈfeɪtfəl/ in the US and /ˈfeɪtfəl/ in the UK.
British respelling: FAYT-ful.
What does fateful mean?
- Momentous, significant, setting or sealing one’s fate.“It started with that fateful trip, history was never the same afterwards.”
- Determined in advance by fate, fated.
Where does fateful come from?
From fate + -ful.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
- consequential
- necessary
- big
- central
- foreordained
- predestined
- bashert
- destined
Words that rhyme with fateful
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of fateful.
Questions about saying fateful
How do you pronounce fateful?
Say FAYT-ful. The American pronunciation is /ˈfeɪtfəl/. In British English it is /ˈfeɪtfəl/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in fateful?
Fateful has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (FAYT). Broken into parts: FAYT · ful.
Do Americans and Brits say fateful the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈfeɪtfəl/ and the British form is /ˈfeɪtfəl/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.