How to pronounce power
Say it like POW-er. Power has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (POW).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce power. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- POW
- er
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Power pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- POWSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ow" in now.
- erKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "er" in butter.
American vs British pronunciation of power
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: POW-uh.
What does power mean?
- possession of controlling influence“the deterrent power of nuclear weapons”“the power of his love saved her”
- (physics) the rate of doing work; measured in watts (= joules/second)
- possession of the qualities (especially mental qualities) required to do something or get something done“danger heightened his powers of discrimination”
- supply the force or power for the functioning of“The gasoline powers the engines”
Where does power come from?
From Middle English power, poer, from Old French poeir, from Vulgar Latin potēre, from Latin posse, whence English potent.
Words that rhyme with power
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of power.
Questions about saying power
How do you pronounce power?
Say POW-er. The American pronunciation is /ˈpaʊɚ/. In British English it is /ˈpaʊə/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in power?
Power has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (POW). Broken into parts: POW · er.
Is power 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 /ˈpaʊə/ (POW-uh).