How to pronounce looking
Say it like LUUK-ing. Looking has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (LUUK).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce looking. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- LUUK
- ing
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Looking pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- LUUKSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "oo" in book.
- ingKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
American vs British pronunciation of looking
American and British speakers say looking in essentially the same way: /ˈlʊkɪŋ/ in the US and /ˈlʊkɪŋ/ in the UK.
British respelling: LUUK-ing.
What does looking mean?
- the act of directing the eyes toward something and perceiving it visually“he went out to have a look”“his look was fixed on her eyes”
- the act of searching visually
- appearing to be as specified; usually used as combining forms“left their clothes dirty looking”“a most disagreeable looking character”
Where does looking come from?
From Middle English lokynge, from earlier lokinde, lokende, from Old English lōciende, present participle of Old English lōcian (“to look”), equivalent to look + -ing.
Words that rhyme with looking
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of looking.
Questions about saying looking
How do you pronounce looking?
Say LUUK-ing. The American pronunciation is /ˈlʊkɪŋ/. In British English it is /ˈlʊkɪŋ/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in looking?
Looking has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (LUUK). Broken into parts: LUUK · ing.
Do Americans and Brits say looking the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈlʊkɪŋ/ and the British form is /ˈlʊkɪŋ/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.