How to pronounce fool
Say it like FOOL. Fool 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 fool. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- FOOL
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Fool pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- FOOLSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "oo" in food.
American vs British pronunciation of fool
American and British speakers say fool in essentially the same way: /ful/ in the US and /fuːl/ in the UK.
British respelling: FOOL.
What does fool mean?
- a person who lacks good judgment
- a person who is gullible and easy to take advantage of
- a professional clown employed to entertain a king or nobleman in the Middle Ages
- make a fool or dupe of
- spend frivolously and unwisely“Fritter away one's inheritance”
- fool or hoax“The immigrant was duped because he trusted everyone”“You can't fool me!”
Where does fool come from?
From Middle English fol (“fool”), from Old French fol (cf.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with fool
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of fool.
Questions about saying fool
How do you pronounce fool?
Say FOOL. The American pronunciation is /ful/. In British English it is /fuːl/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in fool?
Fool is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: FOOL.
Do Americans and Brits say fool the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ful/ and the British form is /fuːl/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.