How to pronounce ness
Say it like NES. Ness 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 ness. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- NES
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Ness pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- NESSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
American vs British pronunciation of ness
American and British speakers say ness in essentially the same way: /nɛs/ in the US and /nɛs/ in the UK.
British respelling: NES.
What does ness mean?
- a strip of land projecting into a body of water
Where does ness come from?
From Middle English nesse (in placenames), from Old English næs, from Proto-Germanic *nasją (“promontory; ness”); cognate with Middle Low German nes, Icelandic nes, Swedish näs, Danish næs, Old Norse nes.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with ness
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of ness.
Questions about saying ness
How do you pronounce ness?
Say NES. The American pronunciation is /nɛs/. In British English it is /nɛs/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in ness?
Ness is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: NES.
Do Americans and Brits say ness the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /nɛs/ and the British form is /nɛs/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.