How to pronounce harmless
Say it like HARM-lus. Harmless has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (HARM).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce harmless. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- HARM
- lus
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Harmless pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- HARMSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ah" in father.
- lusKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of harmless
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: HAHM-lus.
What does harmless mean?
- not causing or capable of causing harm“harmless bacteria”“rendered the bomb harmless”
Where does harmless come from?
Cognate with German harmlos (“harmless”), Danish harmløs (“harlmess”), Swedish harmlös (“harmless”).
Similar and opposite words
Opposite meaning
Questions about saying harmless
How do you pronounce harmless?
Say HARM-lus. The American pronunciation is /ˈhɑrmləs/. In British English it is /ˈhɑːmləs/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in harmless?
Harmless has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (HARM). Broken into parts: HARM · lus.
Is harmless pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead. The British form is /ˈhɑːmləs/ (HAHM-lus).