How to pronounce honor
Say it like ON-er. Honor has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (ON).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce honor. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- ON
- er
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Honor pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- ONSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ah" in father.
- erKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "er" in butter.
American vs British pronunciation of honor
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
- The short o is rounded in British English (as in "hot"), but open and unrounded in American English.
British respelling: ON-uh.
What does honor mean?
- a tangible symbol signifying approval or distinction“an award for bravery”
- the state of being honored
- the quality of being honorable and having a good name“a man of honor”
- bestow honor or rewards upon“Today we honor our soldiers”“The scout was rewarded for courageous action”
- show respect towards“honor your parents!”
- accept as pay“we honor checks and drafts”
Where does honor come from?
The verb is from Middle English honoren, honuren (“to honor”).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Opposite meaning
Words that rhyme with honor
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of honor.
Words that sound like honor
Questions about saying honor
How do you pronounce honor?
Say ON-er. The American pronunciation is /ˈɑnɚ/. In British English it is /ˈɒnə/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in honor?
Honor has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (ON). Broken into parts: ON · er.
Is honor 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 /ˈɒnə/ (ON-uh).
What words sound the same as honor?
Honor sounds the same as honour in American English. The spelling and meaning are what tell them apart.