How to pronounce gloom
Say it like GLOOM. Gloom 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 gloom. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- GLOOM
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Gloom pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- GLOOMSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "oo" in food.
American vs British pronunciation of gloom
American and British speakers say gloom in essentially the same way: /ɡlum/ in the US and /ɡluːm/ in the UK.
British respelling: GLOOM.
What does gloom mean?
- Darkness, dimness, or obscurity.“the gloom of a forest, or of midnight”
- A depressing, despondent, or melancholic atmosphere.
- Cloudiness or heaviness of mind; melancholy; aspect of sorrow; low spirits; dullness.
- To be dark or gloomy.
- To look or feel sad, sullen or despondent.
- To render gloomy or dark; to obscure; to darken.
Where does gloom come from?
From Middle English *gloom, *glom, from Old English glōm (“gloaming, twilight, darkness”), from Proto-West Germanic *glōm, from Proto-Germanic *glōmaz (“gleam, shimmer, sheen”), from Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰley- (“to gleam, shimmer, glow”).
Words that rhyme with gloom
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of gloom.
Questions about saying gloom
How do you pronounce gloom?
Say GLOOM. The American pronunciation is /ɡlum/. In British English it is /ɡluːm/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in gloom?
Gloom is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: GLOOM.
Do Americans and Brits say gloom the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ɡlum/ and the British form is /ɡluːm/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.