How to pronounce match
Say it like MACH. Match 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 match. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- MACH
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Match pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- MACHSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "a" in cat.
American vs British pronunciation of match
American and British speakers say match in essentially the same way: /mætʃ/ in the US and /mætʃ/ in the UK.
British respelling: MACH.
What does match mean?
- be compatible, similar or consistent; coincide in their characteristics“The two stories don't agree in many details”“The handwriting checks with the signature on the check”
- provide funds complementary to“The company matched the employees' contributions”
- bring two objects, ideas, or people together“This fact is coupled to the other one”“Matchmaker, can you match my daughter with a nice young man?”
- lighter consisting of a thin piece of wood or cardboard tipped with combustible chemical; ignites with friction“he always carries matches to light his pipe”“as long you've a lucifer to light your fag”
- a formal contest in which two or more persons or teams compete
- a burning piece of wood or cardboard“if you drop a match in there the whole place will explode”
Where does match come from?
From Middle English macche, mecche, from Old English mæċċa, ġemæċċa (“companion, mate, wife, one suited to another”), from Proto-West Germanic *makkjō, *gamakkjō (“partner, equal”), from Proto-Germanic *makô, from Proto-Indo-European *mag- (“to knead, work”).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with match
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of match.
Questions about saying match
How do you pronounce match?
Say MACH. The American pronunciation is /mætʃ/. In British English it is /mætʃ/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in match?
Match is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: MACH.
Do Americans and Brits say match the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /mætʃ/ and the British form is /mætʃ/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.