How to pronounce lease
Say it like LEES. Lease 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 lease. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- LEES
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Lease pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- LEESSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
American vs British pronunciation of lease
American and British speakers say lease in essentially the same way: /lis/ in the US and /liːs/ in the UK.
British respelling: LEES.
What does lease mean?
- property that is leased or rented out or let
- a contract granting use or occupation of property during a specified time for a specified payment
- the period of time during which a contract conveying property to a person is in effect
- let for money“We rented our apartment to friends while we were abroad”
- hold under a lease or rental agreement; of goods and services
- grant use or occupation of under a term of contract“I am leasing my country estate to some foreigners”
Where does lease come from?
From Middle English *lesen, from Anglo-Norman *leser, Old French lesser, laisier (“to let, let go”), partly from Latin laxō (“to loose”) and partly from Old High German lāzan (“to let, let go, release”) (German lassen), cognate with Old Eng
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with lease
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of lease.
Questions about saying lease
How do you pronounce lease?
Say LEES. The American pronunciation is /lis/. In British English it is /liːs/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in lease?
Lease is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: LEES.
Do Americans and Brits say lease the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /lis/ and the British form is /liːs/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.