How to pronounce fearful
Say it like FEER-ful. Fearful has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (FEER).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce fearful. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- FEER
- ful
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Fearful pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- FEERSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- fulKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of fearful
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: FEER-ful.
What does fearful mean?
- experiencing or showing fear“a fearful glance”“fearful of criticism”
- causing fear or dread or terror“the awful war”“an awful risk”
- lacking courage; ignobly timid and faint-hearted“cowardly dogs, ye will not aid me then”
Where does fearful come from?
From Middle English ferful, fervol, equivalent to fear + -ful.
Words that rhyme with fearful
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of fearful.
Questions about saying fearful
How do you pronounce fearful?
Say FEER-ful. The American pronunciation is /ˈfɪrfəl/. In British English it is /ˈfɪəfəl/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in fearful?
Fearful has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (FEER). Broken into parts: FEER · ful.
Is fearful 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 /ˈfɪəfəl/ (FEER-ful).