How to pronounce flow
Say it like FLOH. Flow 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 flow. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- FLOH
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Flow pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- FLOHSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "o" in go.
American vs British pronunciation of flow
- The long o starts further forward in British English, closer to "uh-oo" than the American "oh".
British respelling: FLOH.
What does flow mean?
- the motion characteristic of fluids (liquids or gases)
- the amount of fluid that flows in a given time
- the act of flowing or streaming; continuous progression
- move or progress freely as if in a stream“The crowd flowed out of the stadium”
- move along, of liquids“Water flowed into the cave”“the Missouri feeds into the Mississippi”
- cause to flow“The artist flowed the washes on the paper”
Where does flow come from?
From Middle English flowe, from the verb (see below).
Words that rhyme with flow
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of flow.
Questions about saying flow
How do you pronounce flow?
Say FLOH. The American pronunciation is /floʊ/. In British English it is /fləʊ/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in flow?
Flow is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: FLOH.
Is flow pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. The long o starts further forward in British English, closer to "uh-oo" than the American "oh". The British form is /fləʊ/ (FLOH).