How to pronounce oblivious
Say it like uh-BLIV-ee-us. Oblivious has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (BLIV).
- uh
- BLIV
- ee
- us
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Oblivious pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- uhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- BLIVSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- eeKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
- usKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of oblivious
American and British speakers say oblivious in essentially the same way: /əˈblɪviəs/ in the US and /əˈblɪviəs/ in the UK.
British respelling: uh-BLIV-ee-us.
What does oblivious mean?
- Lacking awareness; unmindful; unaware, unconscious of.“Your grandmother is completely oblivious to her surroundings.”
- Forgetful.“He's hopelessly oblivious, always forgetting his appointments.”
Where does oblivious come from?
From Middle English oblivious, from Latin oblīviōsus (“forgetful, oblivious”), formed from oblīvium (“forgetfulness, oblivion”) + -ōsus (“full of, overly, prone to”), from oblīvīscor (“to forget”).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
- unmindful
- forgetful
Words that rhyme with oblivious
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of oblivious.
Questions about saying oblivious
How do you pronounce oblivious?
Say uh-BLIV-ee-us. The American pronunciation is /əˈblɪviəs/. In British English it is /əˈblɪviəs/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in oblivious?
Oblivious has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (BLIV). Broken into parts: uh · BLIV · ee · us.
Do Americans and Brits say oblivious the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /əˈblɪviəs/ and the British form is /əˈblɪviəs/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.