How to pronounce leave
Say it like LEEV. Leave 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 leave. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- LEEV
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Leave pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- LEEVSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
American vs British pronunciation of leave
American and British speakers say leave in essentially the same way: /liv/ in the US and /liːv/ in the UK.
British respelling: LEEV.
What does leave mean?
- go away from a place“At what time does your train leave?”“She didn't leave until midnight”
- go and leave behind, either intentionally or by neglect or forgetfulness“She left a mess when she moved out”“His good luck finally left him”
- act or be so as to become in a specified state“The inflation left them penniless”“The president's remarks left us speechless”
- the period of time during which you are absent from work or duty“a ten day's leave to visit his mother”
- permission to do something“she was granted leave to speak”
- the act of departing politely“he disliked long farewells”“he took his leave”
Where does leave come from?
The noun is attested since the 19th century, with earliest references to billiards.
Similar and opposite words
Opposite meaning
Words that rhyme with leave
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of leave.
Questions about saying leave
How do you pronounce leave?
Say LEEV. The American pronunciation is /liv/. In British English it is /liːv/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in leave?
Leave is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: LEEV.
Do Americans and Brits say leave the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /liv/ and the British form is /liːv/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.