How to pronounce odds
Say it like ODZ. Odds is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress.
VoiceSpeed
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce odds. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
US American/ɑdz/ODZ
UK British/ɒdz/ODZ
- ODZ
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Odds pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- ODZSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ah" in father.
American vs British pronunciation of odds
- The short o is rounded in British English (as in "hot"), but open and unrounded in American English.
British respelling: ODZ.
What does odds mean?
noun
- the likelihood of a thing occurring rather than not occurring
- the ratio by which one better's wager is greater than that of another“he offered odds of two to one”
Where does odds come from?
From odd (“uneven, strange”).
Questions about saying odds
How do you pronounce odds?
Say ODZ. The American pronunciation is /ɑdz/. In British English it is /ɒdz/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in odds?
Odds is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: ODZ.
Is odds pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. The short o is rounded in British English (as in "hot"), but open and unrounded in American English. The British form is /ɒdz/ (ODZ).