How to pronounce pop
Say it like POP. Pop 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 pop. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- POP
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Pop pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- POPSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ah" in father.
American vs British pronunciation of pop
- The short o is rounded in British English (as in "hot"), but open and unrounded in American English.
British respelling: POP.
What does pop mean?
- bulge outward“His eyes popped”
- hit a pop-fly“He popped out to shortstop”
- make a sharp explosive noise“The cork of the champagne bottle popped”
- an informal term for a father; probably derived from baby talk
- a sweet drink containing carbonated water and flavoring“in New England they call sodas tonics”
- a sharp explosive sound as from a gunshot or drawing a cork
- (of music or art) new and of general appeal (especially among young people)
Where does pop come from?
From Middle English pop, poppe (“a blow; strike; buffet”) (> Middle English poppen (“to strike; thrust”, verb)), of onomatopoeic origin – used to describe the sound, or short, sharp actions.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with pop
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of pop.
Questions about saying pop
How do you pronounce pop?
Say POP. The American pronunciation is /pɑp/. In British English it is /pɒp/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in pop?
Pop is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: POP.
Is pop pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. The short o is rounded in British English (as in "hot"), but open and unrounded in American English. The British form is /pɒp/ (POP).