How to pronounce gleam
Say it like GLEEM. Gleam 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 gleam. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- GLEEM
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Gleam pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- GLEEMSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
American vs British pronunciation of gleam
American and British speakers say gleam in essentially the same way: /ɡlim/ in the US and /ɡliːm/ in the UK.
British respelling: GLEEM.
What does gleam mean?
- Chiefly in conjunction with an adverb: to cause (light) to shine.
- To shine, especially in an indistinct or intermittent manner; to glisten, to glitter.
- To be strongly but briefly apparent.
- An appearance of light, especially one which is indistinct or small, or short-lived.
- An indistinct sign of something; a glimpse or hint.“The rescue workers preserved a gleam of optimism that the trapped miners might still survive.”
- A bright, but intermittent or short-lived, appearance of something.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with gleam
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of gleam.
Questions about saying gleam
How do you pronounce gleam?
Say GLEEM. The American pronunciation is /ɡlim/. In British English it is /ɡliːm/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in gleam?
Gleam is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: GLEEM.
Do Americans and Brits say gleam the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ɡlim/ and the British form is /ɡliːm/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.