How to pronounce fire
Say it like FY-er. Fire has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (FY).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce fire. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- FY
- er
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Fire pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- FYSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in time.
- erKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "er" in butter.
American vs British pronunciation of fire
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: FY-uh.
What does fire mean?
- start firing a weapon
- cause to go off“fire a gun”“fire a bullet”
- bake in a kiln so as to harden“fire pottery”
- the event of something burning (often destructive)“they lost everything in the fire”
- the act of firing weapons or artillery at an enemy“hold your fire until you can see the whites of their eyes”“they retreated in the face of withering enemy fire”
- the process of combustion of inflammable materials producing heat and light and (often) smoke“fire was one of our ancestors' first discoveries”
Similar and opposite words
Opposite meaning
Words that rhyme with fire
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of fire.
Questions about saying fire
How do you pronounce fire?
Say FY-er. The American pronunciation is /ˈfaɪɚ/. In British English it is /ˈfaɪə/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in fire?
Fire has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (FY). Broken into parts: FY · er.
Is fire 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 /ˈfaɪə/ (FY-uh).