How to pronounce plight
Say it like PLYTE. Plight 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 plight. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- PLYTE
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Plight pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- PLYTESay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in time.
American vs British pronunciation of plight
American and British speakers say plight in essentially the same way: /plaɪt/ in the US and /plaɪt/ in the UK.
British respelling: PLYTE.
What does plight mean?
- A dire or unfortunate situation.
- Specifically, to pledge (one's troth etc.) as part of a marriage ceremony.
- To promise (oneself) to someone, or to do something.
Where does plight come from?
From Middle English plit (“fold, wrinkle, bad situation”), conflation of Middle English pliht, plight (“risky promise, peril”) (from Old English pliht "danger, risk"; see Etymology 2) and Anglo-Norman plit, plyte (“fold, condition”), from O
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with plight
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of plight.
Questions about saying plight
How do you pronounce plight?
Say PLYTE. The American pronunciation is /plaɪt/. In British English it is /plaɪt/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in plight?
Plight is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: PLYTE.
Do Americans and Brits say plight the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /plaɪt/ and the British form is /plaɪt/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.