How to pronounce gap
Say it like GAP. Gap 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 gap. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- GAP
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Gap pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- GAPSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "a" in cat.
American vs British pronunciation of gap
American and British speakers say gap in essentially the same way: /ɡæp/ in the US and /ɡæp/ in the UK.
British respelling: GAP.
What does gap mean?
- a conspicuous disparity or difference as between two figures“gap between income and outgo”“the spread between lending and borrowing costs”
- an open or empty space in or between things“there was a small opening between the trees”“the explosion made a gap in the wall”
- a narrow opening“he opened the window a crack”
- make an opening or gap in
Where does gap come from?
Inherited from Middle English gap /gappe, from Old Norse gap (“an empty space, gap, chasm”), from gapa (“to gape, scream”), from Proto-Germanic *gapōną, from Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰeh₂- (“to open wide, gape”).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with gap
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of gap.
Questions about saying gap
How do you pronounce gap?
Say GAP. The American pronunciation is /ɡæp/. In British English it is /ɡæp/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in gap?
Gap is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: GAP.
Do Americans and Brits say gap the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ɡæp/ and the British form is /ɡæp/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.