How to pronounce obscene
Say it like ob-SEEN. Obscene has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (SEEN).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce obscene. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- ob
- SEEN
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Obscene pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- obKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ah" in father.
- SEENSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
American vs British pronunciation of obscene
American and British speakers say obscene in essentially the same way: /ɑbˈsin/ in the US and /əbˈsiːn/ in the UK.
British respelling: ub-SEEN.
What does obscene mean?
- Offensive to standards of decency or morality.
- Lewd or lustful.
- Disgusting or repulsive.
- To act or speak in an obscene manner; to offend.
Where does obscene come from?
The further etymology is uncertain, but may be from ob- (prefix meaning ‘towards’) + caenum (“dirt, filth; mire, mud”) (possibly ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *ḱweyn- (“to make dirty, soil; filth; mud”)) or scaevus (“left, on the left
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Opposite meaning
Words that rhyme with obscene
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of obscene.
Questions about saying obscene
How do you pronounce obscene?
Say ob-SEEN. The American pronunciation is /ɑbˈsin/. In British English it is /əbˈsiːn/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in obscene?
Obscene has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (SEEN). Broken into parts: ob · SEEN.
Do Americans and Brits say obscene the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ɑbˈsin/ and the British form is /əbˈsiːn/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.