How to pronounce race
Say it like RAYS. Race 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 race. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- RAYS
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Race pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- RAYSSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ay" in day.
American vs British pronunciation of race
American and British speakers say race in essentially the same way: /reɪs/ in the US and /reɪs/ in the UK.
British respelling: RAYS.
What does race mean?
- any competition“the race for the presidency”
- a contest of speed“the race is to the swift”
- people who are believed to belong to the same genetic stock“some biologists doubt that there are important genetic differences between races of human beings”
- move hurridly“He rushed down the hall to receive his guests”“The cars raced down the street”
- compete in a race“he is running the Marathon this year”“let's race and see who gets there first”
- to work as fast as possible towards a goal, sometimes in competition with others“We are racing to find a cure for AIDS”
Where does race come from?
From Middle English race, partially from Old English rǣs (“a race, swift or violent running, rush, onset”), from Proto-West Germanic *rās; and partially from Old Norse rás (“a running, race”); both from Proto-Germanic *rēsō (“a course”), fr
Words that rhyme with race
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of race.
Questions about saying race
How do you pronounce race?
Say RAYS. The American pronunciation is /reɪs/. In British English it is /reɪs/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in race?
Race is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: RAYS.
Do Americans and Brits say race the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /reɪs/ and the British form is /reɪs/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.