How to pronounce raft
Say it like RAFT. Raft 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 raft. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- RAFT
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Raft pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- RAFTSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "a" in cat.
American vs British pronunciation of raft
- British speakers use the long "ah" vowel of father where Americans use the "a" of cat.
British respelling: RAHFT.
What does raft mean?
- A flat-bottomed craft able to float and drift on water, used for transport or as a waterborne platform.“They floated down the river on an inflatable raft”
- Any flattish thing, usually wooden, used in a similar fashion.
- A thick crowd of aquatic birds, particularly a group floating on the surface of the water.
- A large (but unspecified) number, a lot.
- To convey on a raft.
- To make into a raft.
- To travel by raft.
Where does raft come from?
Late Middle English, of North Germanic origin, from West Old Norse raptr, from Proto-Germanic *raf-tra-, from Proto-Indo-European *rap-tro-, from *rep- (“stake, beam”).
Words that rhyme with raft
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of raft.
Questions about saying raft
How do you pronounce raft?
Say RAFT. The American pronunciation is /ræft/. In British English it is /rɑːft/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in raft?
Raft is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: RAFT.
Is raft pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. British speakers use the long "ah" vowel of father where Americans use the "a" of cat. The British form is /rɑːft/ (RAHFT).