How to pronounce hoarse
Say it like HORS. Hoarse 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 hoarse. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- HORS
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Hoarse pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- HORSSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "aw" in law.
American vs British pronunciation of hoarse
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: HAWS.
What does hoarse mean?
- Having a dry, harsh tone to the voice, as a result of a sore throat, age, emotion, etc.
- To utter hoarsely; to croak.
Where does hoarse come from?
From Middle English hors, hos, from Old English hās, *hārs, from Proto-Germanic *haisaz, *haisraz, akin to Old Norse háss (West Norse) and heiss (East Norse) (whence Icelandic hás, Norwegian Nynorsk hås, Norwegian Bokmål hes and Swedish hes).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with hoarse
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of hoarse.
Words that sound like hoarse
Questions about saying hoarse
How do you pronounce hoarse?
Say HORS. The American pronunciation is /hɔrs/. In British English it is /hɔːs/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in hoarse?
Hoarse is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: HORS.
Is hoarse 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 /hɔːs/ (HAWS).
What words sound the same as hoarse?
Hoarse sounds the same as horse in American English. The spelling and meaning are what tell them apart.