How to pronounce makeup
Say it like MAY-kuhp. Makeup has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (MAY).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce makeup. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- MAY
- kuhp
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Makeup pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- MAYSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ay" in day.
- kuhpGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "u" in cup.
American vs British pronunciation of makeup
American and British speakers say makeup in essentially the same way: /ˈmeɪˌkʌp/ in the US and /ˈmeɪˌkʌp/ in the UK.
British respelling: MAY-kuhp.
What does makeup mean?
- cosmetics applied to the face to improve or change your appearance
- an event that is substituted for a previously cancelled event“he missed the test and had to take a makeup”“the two teams played a makeup one week later”
- the way in which someone or something is composed
Where does makeup come from?
Deverbal from make up.
Words that rhyme with makeup
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of makeup.
Questions about saying makeup
How do you pronounce makeup?
Say MAY-kuhp. The American pronunciation is /ˈmeɪˌkʌp/. In British English it is /ˈmeɪˌkʌp/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in makeup?
Makeup has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (MAY). Broken into parts: MAY · kuhp.
Do Americans and Brits say makeup the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈmeɪˌkʌp/ and the British form is /ˈmeɪˌkʌp/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.