How to pronounce outdoors
Say it like owt-DORZ. Outdoors has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (DORZ).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce outdoors. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- owt
- DORZ
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Outdoors pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- owtGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "ow" in now.
- DORZSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "aw" in law.
American vs British pronunciation of outdoors
- The stress moves: Americans stress syllable 2, while British speakers stress syllable 1.
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: OWT-dawz.
What does outdoors mean?
- outside a building“in summer we play outside”
- where the air is unconfined“he wanted to get outdoors a little”“the concert was held in the open air”
Where does outdoors come from?
From out + doors (plural of door), probably as a shortening of out of doors.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Opposite meaning
Words that rhyme with outdoors
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of outdoors.
Questions about saying outdoors
How do you pronounce outdoors?
Say owt-DORZ. The American pronunciation is /ˌaʊtˈdɔrz/. In British English it is /ˈaʊtˌdɔːz/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in outdoors?
Outdoors has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (DORZ). Broken into parts: owt · DORZ.
Is outdoors pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. The stress moves: Americans stress syllable 2, while British speakers stress syllable 1. The British form is /ˈaʊtˌdɔːz/ (OWT-dawz).