How to pronounce great
Say it like GRAYT. Great 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 great. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- GRAYT
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Great pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- GRAYTSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ay" in day.
American vs British pronunciation of great
American and British speakers say great in essentially the same way: /ɡreɪt/ in the US and /ɡreɪt/ in the UK.
British respelling: GRAYT.
What does great mean?
- relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind“a great juicy steak”“a great multitude”
- of major significance or importance“a great work of art”“Einstein was one of the outstanding figures of the 20th centurey”
- remarkable or out of the ordinary in degree or magnitude or effect“a great crisis”“had a great stake in the outcome”
- a person who has achieved distinction and honor in some field“he is one of the greats of American music”
Where does great come from?
The modern pronunciation shows an irregular change of Early Modern English /ɛː/ to /eɪ/ in the standard language; contrast this with the development of other words such as beat and heat.
Words that rhyme with great
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of great.
Words that sound like great
Questions about saying great
How do you pronounce great?
Say GRAYT. The American pronunciation is /ɡreɪt/. In British English it is /ɡreɪt/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in great?
Great is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: GRAYT.
Do Americans and Brits say great the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ɡreɪt/ and the British form is /ɡreɪt/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.
What words sound the same as great?
Great sounds the same as grate in American English. The spelling and meaning are what tell them apart.