How to pronounce high
Say it like HY. High 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 high. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- HY
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
High pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- HYSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in time.
American vs British pronunciation of high
American and British speakers say high in essentially the same way: /haɪ/ in the US and /haɪ/ in the UK.
British respelling: HY.
What does high mean?
- greater than normal in degree or intensity or amount“a high temperature”“a high price”
- (literal meaning) being at or having a relatively great or specific elevation or upward extension (sometimes used in combinations like knee-high)“a high mountain”“high ceilings”
- standing above others in quality or position“people in high places”“the high priest”
- at a great altitude“he climbed high on the ladder”
- in or to a high position, amount, or degree“prices have gone up far too high”
- in a rich manner“he lives high”
- a lofty level or position or degree“summer temperatures reached an all-time high”
- an air mass of higher than normal pressure“the east coast benefits from a Bermuda high”
- a state of sustained elation“I'm on a permanent high these days”
Where does high come from?
Cognate with Scots heich (“high”), Yola heegh, heigh, heighe, hia, hie (“high”), North Frisian hoog, huuch (“high”), Saterland Frisian hooch, hoog (“high”), West Frisian heech (“high”), Alemannic German hooch (“high”), Central Franconian hu
Similar and opposite words
Opposite meaning
Words that rhyme with high
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of high.
Words that sound like high
Questions about saying high
How do you pronounce high?
Say HY. The American pronunciation is /haɪ/. In British English it is /haɪ/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in high?
High is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: HY.
Do Americans and Brits say high the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /haɪ/ and the British form is /haɪ/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.
What words sound the same as high?
High sounds the same as hi, hie in American English. The spelling and meaning are what tell them apart.