How to pronounce madness
Say it like MAD-nus. Madness has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (MAD).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce madness. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- MAD
- nus
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Madness pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- MADSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "a" in cat.
- nusKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of madness
American and British speakers say madness in essentially the same way: /ˈmædnəs/ in the US and /ˈmædnɪs/ in the UK.
British respelling: MAD-nis.
What does madness mean?
- obsolete terms for legal insanity
- an acute viral disease of the nervous system of warm-blooded animals (usually transmitted by the bite of a rabid animal); rabies is fatal if the virus reaches the brain
- a feeling of intense anger“hell hath no fury like a woman scorned”“his face turned red with rage”
Where does madness come from?
From Middle English madnes, madnesse; equivalent to mad + -ness.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with madness
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of madness.
Questions about saying madness
How do you pronounce madness?
Say MAD-nus. The American pronunciation is /ˈmædnəs/. In British English it is /ˈmædnɪs/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in madness?
Madness has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (MAD). Broken into parts: MAD · nus.
Do Americans and Brits say madness the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈmædnəs/ and the British form is /ˈmædnɪs/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.