How to pronounce leap
Say it like LEEP. Leap 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 leap. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- LEEP
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Leap pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- LEEPSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
American vs British pronunciation of leap
American and British speakers say leap in essentially the same way: /lip/ in the US and /liːp/ in the UK.
British respelling: LEEP.
What does leap mean?
- a light, self-propelled movement upwards or forwards
- an abrupt transition“a successful leap from college to the major leagues”
- a sudden and decisive increase“a jump in attendance”
- move forward by leaps and bounds“The horse bounded across the meadow”“The child leapt across the puddle”
- pass abruptly from one state or topic to another“leap into fame”“jump to a conclusion”
- jump down from an elevated point“the parachutist didn't want to jump”“every year, hundreds of people jump off the Golden Gate bridge”
Where does leap come from?
Cognate with North Frisian laap, luup, luupe (“to jog, run, walk”), Saterland Frisian lope, loope (“to run”), West Frisian ljeppe (“to jump”), Dutch lopen (“to run; to walk”), German laufen (“to run; to walk”), Limburgish loupe (“to jog, ru
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with leap
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of leap.
Questions about saying leap
How do you pronounce leap?
Say LEEP. The American pronunciation is /lip/. In British English it is /liːp/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in leap?
Leap is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: LEEP.
Do Americans and Brits say leap the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /lip/ and the British form is /liːp/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.