How to pronounce gruff
Say it like GRUHF. Gruff 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 gruff. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- GRUHF
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Gruff pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- GRUHFSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "u" in cup.
American vs British pronunciation of gruff
American and British speakers say gruff in essentially the same way: /ɡrʌf/ in the US and /ɡrʌf/ in the UK.
British respelling: GRUHF.
What does gruff mean?
- having a rough, surly, and harsh demeanor and nature.
- hoarse-voiced.“a gruff woman”
- hoarse.“a gruff voice”
- To speak gruffly.
- Alternative spelling of grough (“gully in a moor”).
Where does gruff come from?
Cognate with Saterland Frisian groaf (“rough, coarse, crude”), West Frisian grof (“rough, coarse, crude”), Low German groff (“rough, coarse, crude”), German grob (“rough, coarse, crude”), Swedish grov (“rough, coarse, crude”).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with gruff
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of gruff.
Questions about saying gruff
How do you pronounce gruff?
Say GRUHF. The American pronunciation is /ɡrʌf/. In British English it is /ɡrʌf/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in gruff?
Gruff is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: GRUHF.
Do Americans and Brits say gruff the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ɡrʌf/ and the British form is /ɡrʌf/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.