How to pronounce pollution
Say it like puh-LOO-shun. Pollution has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (LOO).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce pollution. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- puh
- LOO
- shun
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Pollution 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.
- LOOSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "oo" in food.
- shunKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of pollution
American and British speakers say pollution in essentially the same way: /pəˈluʃən/ in the US and /pəˈluːʃən/ in the UK.
British respelling: puh-LOO-shun.
What does pollution mean?
- undesirable state of the natural environment being contaminated with harmful substances as a consequence of human activities
- the state of being polluted
- the act of contaminating or polluting; including (either intentionally or accidentally) unwanted substances or factors
Where does pollution come from?
From Middle English pollucioun, pollucion (“desecration, impurity”), from Anglo-Norman pollutiun, Middle French pollution, pollucion, and their source, post-classical Latin pollūtiō (“defilement, desecration; nocturnal emission”) (4th centu
Words that rhyme with pollution
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of pollution.
- solution
- distribution
- resolution
- constitution
- revolution
- evolution
- institution
- contribution
- execution
- prosecution
Questions about saying pollution
How do you pronounce pollution?
Say puh-LOO-shun. The American pronunciation is /pəˈluʃən/. In British English it is /pəˈluːʃən/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in pollution?
Pollution has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (LOO). Broken into parts: puh · LOO · shun.
Do Americans and Brits say pollution the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /pəˈluʃən/ and the British form is /pəˈluːʃən/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.