How to pronounce horror
Say it like HOR-er. Horror has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (HOR).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce horror. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- HOR
- er
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Horror pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- HORSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "aw" in law.
- erKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "er" in butter.
American vs British pronunciation of horror
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: HOR-uh.
What does horror mean?
- intense and profound fear
- something that inspires horror; something horrible“the painting that others found so beautiful was a horror to him”
- intense aversion
Where does horror come from?
From Middle English horer, horrour, from Old French horror, from Latin horror (“a bristling, a shaking, trembling as with cold or fear, terror”), from horrere (“to bristle, shake, be terrified”).
Words that rhyme with horror
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of horror.
Questions about saying horror
How do you pronounce horror?
Say HOR-er. The American pronunciation is /ˈhɔrɚ/. In British English it is /ˈhɒrə/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in horror?
Horror has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (HOR). Broken into parts: HOR · er.
Is horror 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 /ˈhɒrə/ (HOR-uh).