How to pronounce mere
Say it like MEER. Mere 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 mere. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- MEER
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Mere pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- MEERSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
American vs British pronunciation of mere
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: MEER.
What does mere mean?
- being nothing more than specified“a mere child”
- apart from anything else; without additions or modifications“only the bare facts”“shocked by the mere idea”
- a small pond of standing water
Where does mere come from?
Cognate with Old English āmerian, āmyrian (“to purify, examine, revise”).
Words that rhyme with mere
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of mere.
Questions about saying mere
How do you pronounce mere?
Say MEER. The American pronunciation is /mɪr/. In British English it is /mɪə/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in mere?
Mere is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: MEER.
Is mere pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead. The British form is /mɪə/ (MEER).