How to pronounce held
Say it like HELD. Held 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 held. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- HELD
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Held pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- HELDSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
American vs British pronunciation of held
American and British speakers say held in essentially the same way: /hɛld/ in the US and /hɛld/ in the UK.
British respelling: HELD.
What does held mean?
- occupied or in the control of; often used in combination“enemy-held territory”
Words that rhyme with held
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of held.
Questions about saying held
How do you pronounce held?
Say HELD. The American pronunciation is /hɛld/. In British English it is /hɛld/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in held?
Held is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: HELD.
Do Americans and Brits say held the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /hɛld/ and the British form is /hɛld/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.