How to pronounce pawl
Say it like PAWL. Pawl 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 pawl. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- PAWL
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Pawl pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- PAWLSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "aw" in law.
American vs British pronunciation of pawl
American and British speakers say pawl in essentially the same way: /pɔl/ in the US and /pɔːl/ in the UK.
British respelling: PAWL.
What does pawl mean?
- A pivoted catch designed to fall into a notch on a ratchet wheel so as to allow movement in only one direction (e.g. on a windlass or in a clock mechanism), or alternatively to move the wheel in one direction.
- A similar device to prevent motion in other mechanisms besides ratchets.
- To stop with a pawl.
- Alternative form of paul (“kind of tent”).
Where does pawl come from?
17th c., perhaps from Low German or Dutch pal (“catch (mechanism)”), or from either French pal (“stake”) or épaule (“shoulder”).
Words that rhyme with pawl
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of pawl.
Words that sound like pawl
Questions about saying pawl
How do you pronounce pawl?
Say PAWL. The American pronunciation is /pɔl/. In British English it is /pɔːl/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in pawl?
Pawl is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: PAWL.
Do Americans and Brits say pawl the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /pɔl/ and the British form is /pɔːl/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.
What words sound the same as pawl?
Pawl sounds the same as pol, pall in American English. The spelling and meaning are what tell them apart.