How to pronounce kickback
Say it like KIK-bak. Kickback has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (KIK).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce kickback. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- KIK
- bak
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Kickback pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- KIKSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- bakGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "a" in cat.
American vs British pronunciation of kickback
American and British speakers say kickback in essentially the same way: /ˈkɪkˌbæk/ in the US and /ˈkɪkˌbæk/ in the UK.
British respelling: KIK-bak.
What does kickback mean?
- A backward kick; a retrograde movement of an extremity.
- A covert, often illegal, payment in return for a favor consisting of providing an opportunity of chargeable transaction; especially, a kind of quid pro quo in which if you (an insider) secretly help me (an outsider) win the bid for the contract then I will secretly send you a portion of the contract
- Recoil; a sudden backward motion, usually in the direction of the operator.
Where does kickback come from?
Deverbal from kick back.
Questions about saying kickback
How do you pronounce kickback?
Say KIK-bak. The American pronunciation is /ˈkɪkˌbæk/. In British English it is /ˈkɪkˌbæk/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in kickback?
Kickback has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (KIK). Broken into parts: KIK · bak.
Do Americans and Brits say kickback the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈkɪkˌbæk/ and the British form is /ˈkɪkˌbæk/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.