How to pronounce meltdown
Say it like MELT-down. Meltdown has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (MELT).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce meltdown. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- MELT
- down
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Meltdown pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- MELTSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
- downGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "ow" in now.
American vs British pronunciation of meltdown
American and British speakers say meltdown in essentially the same way: /ˈmɛltˌdaʊn/ in the US and /ˈmɛltdaʊn/ in the UK.
British respelling: MELT-down.
What does meltdown mean?
- severe overheating of the core of a nuclear reactor resulting in the core melting and radiation escaping
- a disaster comparable to a nuclear meltdown“there is little likelihood of a meltdown comparable to the American banking collapse in March 1933”
Where does meltdown come from?
From melt (verb) + down (adverb), a deverbal from melt down (verb).
Questions about saying meltdown
How do you pronounce meltdown?
Say MELT-down. The American pronunciation is /ˈmɛltˌdaʊn/. In British English it is /ˈmɛltdaʊn/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in meltdown?
Meltdown has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (MELT). Broken into parts: MELT · down.
Do Americans and Brits say meltdown the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈmɛltˌdaʊn/ and the British form is /ˈmɛltdaʊn/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.