How to pronounce funeral
Say it like FYOO-nuh-rul. Funeral has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (FYOO).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce funeral. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- FYOO
- nuh
- rul
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Funeral pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- FYOOSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "oo" in food.
- nuhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- rulKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of funeral
American and British speakers say funeral in essentially the same way: /ˈfjunərəl/ in the US and /ˈfjuːnərəl/ in the UK.
British respelling: FYOO-nuh-rul.
What does funeral mean?
- a ceremony at which a dead person is buried or cremated“hundreds of people attended his funeral”
Where does funeral come from?
Displaced native Old English līcþeġnung (literally “dead body service”).
Questions about saying funeral
How do you pronounce funeral?
Say FYOO-nuh-rul. The American pronunciation is /ˈfjunərəl/. In British English it is /ˈfjuːnərəl/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in funeral?
Funeral has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (FYOO). Broken into parts: FYOO · nuh · rul.
Do Americans and Brits say funeral the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈfjunərəl/ and the British form is /ˈfjuːnərəl/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.