How to pronounce furnish
Say it like FUR-nish. Furnish has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (FUR).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce furnish. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- FUR
- nish
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Furnish pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- FURSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ur" in nurse.
- nishKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
American vs British pronunciation of furnish
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: FUR-nish.
What does furnish mean?
- Material used to create an engineered product.
- To provide a place with furniture, or other equipment.
- To supply or give (something).
- To supply (somebody) with something.“The street outside my window furnishes meager entertainment.”
Where does furnish come from?
Cognate with Old High German frumjan (“to perform, provide”), Old High German fruma (“utility, gain”), Old English fremu (“profit, advantage”), Old English fremian (“to promote, perform”).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with furnish
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of furnish.
Questions about saying furnish
How do you pronounce furnish?
Say FUR-nish. The American pronunciation is /ˈfɝnɪʃ/. In British English it is /ˈfɜːnɪʃ/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in furnish?
Furnish has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (FUR). Broken into parts: FUR · nish.
Is furnish 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 /ˈfɜːnɪʃ/ (FUR-nish).