How to pronounce lest
Say it like LEST. Lest 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 lest. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- LEST
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Lest pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- LESTSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
American vs British pronunciation of lest
American and British speakers say lest in essentially the same way: /lɛst/ in the US and /lɛst/ in the UK.
British respelling: LEST.
What does lest mean?
- For fear that; that not; in order to prevent something from happening; in case.“He won't go outside, lest he be eaten by those ravenous eagles.”
- that (without the negative particle; introduces the reason for an emotion.)“There was danger/alarm lest the plan become known.”
Where does lest come from?
c. 1200, contracted from Middle English les te (“less that”), from Old English þȳ lǣs þe (“whereby less that”), from þȳ (instrumental case of demonstrative article þæt (“that”)) + lǣs (“less”) + þe (“that,” relative particle).
Words that rhyme with lest
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of lest.
Questions about saying lest
How do you pronounce lest?
Say LEST. The American pronunciation is /lɛst/. In British English it is /lɛst/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in lest?
Lest is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: LEST.
Do Americans and Brits say lest the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /lɛst/ and the British form is /lɛst/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.