How to pronounce gouge
Say it like GOWJ. Gouge 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 gouge. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- GOWJ
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Gouge pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- GOWJSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ow" in now.
American vs British pronunciation of gouge
American and British speakers say gouge in essentially the same way: /ɡaʊdʒ/ in the US and /ɡaʊdʒ/ in the UK.
British respelling: GOWJ.
What does gouge mean?
- To make a groove, hole, or mark in by scooping with or as if with a gouge.“Japanese and Chinese printers used to gouge characters in wood.”
- To cheat or impose upon; in particular, to charge an unfairly or unreasonably high price.“The company has no competition, so it tends to gouge its customers.”
- To dig or scoop (something) out with or as if with a gouge; in particular, to use a thumb to push or try to push the eye (of a person) out of its socket.
- A chisel with a curved blade for cutting or scooping channels, grooves, or holes in wood, stone, etc.
- A bookbinder's tool with a curved face, used for blind tooling or gilding.
- An incising tool that cuts blanks or forms for envelopes, gloves, etc., from leather, paper, or other materials.
Where does gouge come from?
The verb is derived from the noun.
Questions about saying gouge
How do you pronounce gouge?
Say GOWJ. The American pronunciation is /ɡaʊdʒ/. In British English it is /ɡaʊdʒ/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in gouge?
Gouge is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: GOWJ.
Do Americans and Brits say gouge the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ɡaʊdʒ/ and the British form is /ɡaʊdʒ/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.