How to pronounce overdrive
Say it like OH-ver-dryve. Overdrive has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (OH).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce overdrive. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- OH
- ver
- dryve
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Overdrive pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- OHSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "o" in go.
- verKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "er" in butter.
- dryveGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "i" in time.
American vs British pronunciation of overdrive
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
- The long o starts further forward in British English, closer to "uh-oo" than the American "oh".
British respelling: OH-vuh-dryve.
What does overdrive mean?
- To drive too hard, or far, or beyond strength.
- A gear, on an automobile, higher than the traditional top gear, mainly to allow better fuel economy at highway speeds. In the 21st century, such gears are no longer viewed as "extra" and thus rarely called by this name.“In the 1970s, many transmission designs were revised to add an overdrive gear.”
- A state of heightened activity.“overdrive pacing”
- Freewheeling (driving a vehicle with the transmission in neutral) on downhill stretches to achieve higher fuel economy and/or speed than otherwise. In colloquial registers, ethnically bigoted variants have been common, such as Jewish overdrive (alluding to the stereotype of miserly Jews) or Mexican
Where does overdrive come from?
From Middle English overdriven, from Old English oferdrīfan, equivalent to over- + drive.
Questions about saying overdrive
How do you pronounce overdrive?
Say OH-ver-dryve. The American pronunciation is /ˈoʊvɚˌdraɪv/. In British English it is /ˈəʊvəˌdraɪv/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in overdrive?
Overdrive has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (OH). Broken into parts: OH · ver · dryve.
Is overdrive pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead. The British form is /ˈəʊvəˌdraɪv/ (OH-vuh-dryve).