How to pronounce provide
Say it like pruh-VYDE. Provide has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (VYDE).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce provide. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- pruh
- VYDE
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Provide pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- pruhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- VYDESay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in time.
American vs British pronunciation of provide
American and British speakers say provide in essentially the same way: /prəˈvaɪd/ in the US and /prəˈvaɪd/ in the UK.
British respelling: pruh-VYDE.
What does provide mean?
- give something useful or necessary to“We provided the room with an electrical heater”
- give what is desired or needed, especially support, food or sustenance“The hostess provided lunch for all the guests”
- determine (what is to happen in certain contingencies), especially by including a proviso condition or stipulation“The will provides that each child should receive half of the money”“The Constitution provides for the right to free speech”
Where does provide come from?
Inherited from Middle English providen, from Latin prōvidēre (“to foresee, act with foresight”).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with provide
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of provide.
Questions about saying provide
How do you pronounce provide?
Say pruh-VYDE. The American pronunciation is /prəˈvaɪd/. In British English it is /prəˈvaɪd/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in provide?
Provide has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (VYDE). Broken into parts: pruh · VYDE.
Do Americans and Brits say provide the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /prəˈvaɪd/ and the British form is /prəˈvaɪd/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.