How to pronounce rave
Say it like RAYV. Rave 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 rave. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- RAYV
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Rave pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- RAYVSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ay" in day.
American vs British pronunciation of rave
American and British speakers say rave in essentially the same way: /reɪv/ in the US and /reɪv/ in the UK.
British respelling: RAYV.
What does rave mean?
- a dance party that lasts all night and electronically synthesized music is played“raves are very popular in Berlin”
- an extravagantly enthusiastic review“he gave it a rave”
- participate in an all-night techno dance party
- talk in a noisy, excited, or declamatory manner
- praise enthusiastically“She raved about that new restaurant”
Where does rave come from?
From Middle English raven (“to rave; talk like a madman”), from Old French raver, variant of resver, of uncertain origin.
Words that rhyme with rave
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of rave.
Questions about saying rave
How do you pronounce rave?
Say RAYV. The American pronunciation is /reɪv/. In British English it is /reɪv/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in rave?
Rave is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: RAYV.
Do Americans and Brits say rave the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /reɪv/ and the British form is /reɪv/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.