How to pronounce police
Say it like puh-LEES. Police has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (LEES).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce police. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- puh
- LEES
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Tip: Stress the second syllable: 'puh-LEESS'.
Police pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- puhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- LEESSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
American vs British pronunciation of police
American and British speakers say police in essentially the same way: /pəˈlis/ in the US and /pəˈliːs/ in the UK.
British respelling: puh-LEES.
What does police mean?
- the force of policemen and officers“the law came looking for him”
- maintain the security of by carrying out a patrol
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with police
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of police.
Questions about saying police
How do you pronounce police?
Say puh-LEES. The American pronunciation is /pəˈlis/. In British English it is /pəˈliːs/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in police?
Police has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (LEES). Broken into parts: puh · LEES.
Do Americans and Brits say police the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /pəˈlis/ and the British form is /pəˈliːs/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.