How to pronounce perfect
Say it like per-FEKT. Perfect has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (FEKT).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce perfect. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- per
- FEKT
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Perfect pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- perKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "er" in butter.
- FEKTSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
American vs British pronunciation of perfect
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: puh-FEKT.
Other ways to say perfect
Perfect also has this pronunciation, usually with a different meaning or use:
- PUR-fikt /ˈpɝˌfɪkt/
What does perfect mean?
- make perfect or complete“perfect your French in Paris!”
- being complete of its kind and without defect or blemish“a perfect circle”“a perfect reproduction”
- without qualification; used informally as (often pejorative) intensifiers“an arrant fool”“a complete coward”
- precisely accurate or exact“perfect timing”
- a tense of verbs used in describing action that has been completed (sometimes regarded as perfective aspect)
Where does perfect come from?
Displaced native Old English fulfremed.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Opposite meaning
Words that rhyme with perfect
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of perfect.
Questions about saying perfect
How do you pronounce perfect?
Say per-FEKT. The American pronunciation is /pɚˈfɛkt/. In British English it is /pəˈfɛkt/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in perfect?
Perfect has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (FEKT). Broken into parts: per · FEKT.
Is perfect 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 /pəˈfɛkt/ (puh-FEKT).