How to pronounce maintenance
Say it like MAYN-tuh-nuns. Maintenance has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (MAYN).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce maintenance. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- MAYN
- tuh
- nuns
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Maintenance pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- MAYNSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ay" in day.
- tuhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- nunsKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of maintenance
American and British speakers say maintenance in essentially the same way: /ˈmeɪntənəns/ in the US and /ˈmeɪntənəns/ in the UK.
British respelling: MAYN-tuh-nuns.
What does maintenance mean?
- activity involved in maintaining something in good working order“he wrote the manual on car care”
- means of maintenance of a family or group
- court-ordered support paid by one spouse to another after they are separated
Where does maintenance come from?
Note that maintain has undergone a sound and spelling change, hence is spelt with -tain-, rather than the -ten- still found in maintenance.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Questions about saying maintenance
How do you pronounce maintenance?
Say MAYN-tuh-nuns. The American pronunciation is /ˈmeɪntənəns/. In British English it is /ˈmeɪntənəns/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in maintenance?
Maintenance has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (MAYN). Broken into parts: MAYN · tuh · nuns.
Do Americans and Brits say maintenance the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈmeɪntənəns/ and the British form is /ˈmeɪntənəns/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.