How to pronounce gum
Say it like GUHM. Gum 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 gum. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- GUHM
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Gum pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- GUHMSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "u" in cup.
American vs British pronunciation of gum
American and British speakers say gum in essentially the same way: /ɡʌm/ in the US and /ɡʌm/ in the UK.
British respelling: GUHM.
What does gum mean?
- a preparation (usually made of sweetened chicle) for chewing
- the tissue (covered by mucous membrane) of the jaws that surrounds the bases of the teeth
- any of various substances (soluble in water) that exude from certain plants; they are gelatinous when moist but harden on drying
- cover, fill, fix or smear with or as if with gum“if you gum the tape it is stronger”
- grind with the gums; chew without teeth and with great difficulty“the old man had no teeth left and mumbled his food”
- become sticky
Words that rhyme with gum
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of gum.
Questions about saying gum
How do you pronounce gum?
Say GUHM. The American pronunciation is /ɡʌm/. In British English it is /ɡʌm/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in gum?
Gum is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: GUHM.
Do Americans and Brits say gum the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ɡʌm/ and the British form is /ɡʌm/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.