How to pronounce grim
Say it like GRIM. Grim 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 grim. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- GRIM
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Grim pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- GRIMSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
American vs British pronunciation of grim
American and British speakers say grim in essentially the same way: /ɡrɪm/ in the US and /ɡrɪm/ in the UK.
British respelling: GRIM.
What does grim mean?
- not to be placated or appeased or moved by entreaty“grim determination”“grim necessity”
- shockingly repellent; inspiring horror“ghastly wounds”“the grim aftermath of the bombing”
- harshly ironic or sinister“black humor”“a grim joke”
Where does grim come from?
From Middle English grim, from Old English grimm, from Proto-West Germanic *grimm, from Proto-Germanic *grimmaz, from Proto-Indo-European *gʰrem- (“to resound, thunder, grumble, roar”).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with grim
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of grim.
Questions about saying grim
How do you pronounce grim?
Say GRIM. The American pronunciation is /ɡrɪm/. In British English it is /ɡrɪm/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in grim?
Grim is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: GRIM.
Do Americans and Brits say grim the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ɡrɪm/ and the British form is /ɡrɪm/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.