How to pronounce jam
Say it like JAM. Jam is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress.
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce jam. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- JAM
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Jam pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- JAMSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "a" in cat.
American vs British pronunciation of jam
American and British speakers say jam in essentially the same way: /dʒæm/ in the US and /dʒæm/ in the UK.
British respelling: JAM.
What does jam mean?
- press tightly together or cram“The crowd packed the auditorium”
- push down forcibly“The driver jammed the brake pedal to the floor”
- crush or bruise“jam a toe”
- preserve of crushed fruit
- informal terms for a difficult situation“he got into a terrible fix”“he made a muddle of his marriage”
- a dense crowd of people
Where does jam come from?
The "performance" sense is first attested with regards to jazz in 1929, and its origin, though uncertain, is likely metaphorical, "something sweet made by the combination of many things", with influence from jamboree.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with jam
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of jam.
Questions about saying jam
How do you pronounce jam?
Say JAM. The American pronunciation is /dʒæm/. In British English it is /dʒæm/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in jam?
Jam is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: JAM.
Do Americans and Brits say jam the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /dʒæm/ and the British form is /dʒæm/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.