How to pronounce oof
Say it like OOF. Oof 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 oof. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- OOF
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Oof pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- OOFSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "oo" in food.
American vs British pronunciation of oof
American and British speakers say oof in essentially the same way: /uf/ in the US and /uːf/ in the UK.
British respelling: OOF.
What does oof mean?
- A sound mimicking the loss of air, as if someone's solar plexus had just been struck.
- Synonym of ouch (“expressing sympathy at another's pain, shock at a high price, etc.”).
- A sound made in pain, as when expelling air after being struck.
- Money.
Where does oof come from?
Onomatopoeic, compare Dutch oef and German uff.
Questions about saying oof
How do you pronounce oof?
Say OOF. The American pronunciation is /uf/. In British English it is /uːf/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in oof?
Oof is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: OOF.
Do Americans and Brits say oof the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /uf/ and the British form is /uːf/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.