How to pronounce humor
Say it like HYOO-mer. Humor has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (HYOO).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce humor. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- HYOO
- mer
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Humor pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- HYOOSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "oo" in food.
- merKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "er" in butter.
American vs British pronunciation of humor
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: HYOO-muh.
What does humor mean?
- a message whose ingenuity or verbal skill or incongruity has the power to evoke laughter
- the trait of appreciating (and being able to express) the humorous“she didn't appreciate my humor”“you can't survive in the army without a sense of humor”
- a characteristic (habitual or relatively temporary) state of feeling“whether he praised or cursed me depended on his temper at the time”“he was in a bad humor”
- put into a good mood
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with humor
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of humor.
Words that sound like humor
Questions about saying humor
How do you pronounce humor?
Say HYOO-mer. The American pronunciation is /ˈhjumɚ/. In British English it is /ˈhjuːmə/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in humor?
Humor has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (HYOO). Broken into parts: HYOO · mer.
Is humor 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 /ˈhjuːmə/ (HYOO-muh).
What words sound the same as humor?
Humor sounds the same as humour in American English. The spelling and meaning are what tell them apart.