How to pronounce on
Say it like ON. On 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 on. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- ON
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
On pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- ONSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ah" in father.
American vs British pronunciation of on
- The short o is rounded in British English (as in "hot"), but open and unrounded in American English.
British respelling: ON.
Other ways to say on
On also has this pronunciation, usually with a different meaning or use:
- AWN /ɔn/
What does on mean?
- with a forward motion“we drove along admiring the view”“the horse trotted along at a steady pace”
- indicates continuity or persistence or concentration“his spirit lives on”“shall I read on?”
- in a state required for something to function or be effective“turn the lights on”“get a load on”
- in operation or operational“left the oven on”“the switch is in the on position”
- (of events) planned or scheduled“the picnic is on, rain or shine”“we have nothing on for Friday night”
Where does on come from?
Cognate with Yola a, an, ana, on (“on”), Saterland Frisian an (“on; at”), West Frisian oan (“on; to, towards”), Cimbrian aan, å (“on, onto”), Dutch aan (“on; at”), Low German an (“on; at, to”), German an (“at, in; on”), Luxembourgish un (“o
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Opposite meaning
Words that rhyme with on
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of on.
Questions about saying on
How do you pronounce on?
Say ON. The American pronunciation is /ɑn/. In British English it is /ɒn/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in on?
On is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: ON.
Is on 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 /ɒn/ (ON).