How to pronounce irrational
Say it like ir-ASH-uh-nul. Irrational has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (ASH).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce irrational. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- ir
- ASH
- uh
- nul
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Irrational pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- irGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- ASHSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "a" in cat.
- uhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- nulKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of irrational
American and British speakers say irrational in essentially the same way: /ˌɪˈræʃənəl/ in the US and /ˌɪˈræʃənəl/ in the UK.
British respelling: ir-ASH-uh-nul.
What does irrational mean?
- not consistent with or using reason“irrational fears”“irrational animals”
- real but not expressible as the quotient of two integers“irrational numbers”
- a real number that cannot be expressed as a rational number
Where does irrational come from?
From Latin irratiōnālis, from ir- + ratiōnālis.
Similar and opposite words
Opposite meaning
Words that rhyme with irrational
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of irrational.
Questions about saying irrational
How do you pronounce irrational?
Say ir-ASH-uh-nul. The American pronunciation is /ˌɪˈræʃənəl/. In British English it is /ˌɪˈræʃənəl/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in irrational?
Irrational has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (ASH). Broken into parts: ir · ASH · uh · nul.
Do Americans and Brits say irrational the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˌɪˈræʃənəl/ and the British form is /ˌɪˈræʃənəl/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.