How to pronounce feign
Say it like FAYN. Feign 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 feign. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- FAYN
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Feign pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- FAYNSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ay" in day.
American vs British pronunciation of feign
American and British speakers say feign in essentially the same way: /feɪn/ in the US and /feɪn/ in the UK.
British respelling: FAYN.
What does feign mean?
- To make a false show or pretence of; to counterfeit or simulate.“The pupil feigned sickness on the day of his exam.”
- To imagine; to invent; to pretend to do something.“He feigned that he had gone home at the appointed time.”
- To make an action as if doing one thing, but actually doing another, for example to trick an opponent; to feint.
Where does feign come from?
From Middle English feynen, feinen, borrowed from Old French feindre (“to pretend”), from Latin fingere (“to form, shape, invent”).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with feign
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of feign.
Words that sound like feign
Questions about saying feign
How do you pronounce feign?
Say FAYN. The American pronunciation is /feɪn/. In British English it is /feɪn/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in feign?
Feign is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: FAYN.
Do Americans and Brits say feign the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /feɪn/ and the British form is /feɪn/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.
What words sound the same as feign?
Feign sounds the same as fain in American English. The spelling and meaning are what tell them apart.