How to pronounce heel
Say it like HEEL. Heel 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 heel. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- HEEL
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Heel pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- HEELSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
American vs British pronunciation of heel
American and British speakers say heel in essentially the same way: /hil/ in the US and /hiːl/ in the UK.
British respelling: HEEL.
What does heel mean?
- the bottom of a shoe or boot; the back part of a shoe or boot that touches the ground and provides elevation
- the back part of the human foot
- someone who is morally reprehensible“you dirty dog”
- tilt to one side“The balloon heeled over”“the wind made the vessel heel”
- follow at the heels of a person
- perform with the heels“heel that dance”
Words that rhyme with heel
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of heel.
Words that sound like heel
- heal
- he'll
Questions about saying heel
How do you pronounce heel?
Say HEEL. The American pronunciation is /hil/. In British English it is /hiːl/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in heel?
Heel is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: HEEL.
Do Americans and Brits say heel the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /hil/ and the British form is /hiːl/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.
What words sound the same as heel?
Heel sounds the same as heal, he'll in American English. The spelling and meaning are what tell them apart.