How to pronounce hysteria
Say it like hih-STER-ee-uh. Hysteria has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (STER).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce hysteria. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- hih
- STER
- ee
- uh
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Hysteria pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- hihKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- STERSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
- eeKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
- uhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of hysteria
American and British speakers say hysteria in essentially the same way: /hɪˈstɛriə/ in the US and /hɪˈstɪəriə/ in the UK.
British respelling: hih-STEER-ee-uh.
What does hysteria mean?
- Behavior exhibiting excessive or uncontrollable emotions, in a wide range from joy to panic but usually including anxiety or fear.
- A mental disorder characterized by emotional excitability etc. without an organic cause.
- Synonym of conversion disorder.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with hysteria
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of hysteria.
Questions about saying hysteria
How do you pronounce hysteria?
Say hih-STER-ee-uh. The American pronunciation is /hɪˈstɛriə/. In British English it is /hɪˈstɪəriə/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in hysteria?
Hysteria has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (STER). Broken into parts: hih · STER · ee · uh.
Do Americans and Brits say hysteria the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /hɪˈstɛriə/ and the British form is /hɪˈstɪəriə/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.