How to pronounce rear
Say it like REER. Rear 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 rear. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- REER
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Rear pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- REERSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
American vs British pronunciation of rear
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: REER.
What does rear mean?
- the back of a military formation or procession“infantrymen were in the rear”
- the side of an object that is opposite its front“his room was toward the rear of the hotel”
- the part of something that is furthest from the normal viewer“he stood at the back of the stage”“it was hidden in the rear of the store”
- stand up on the hind legs, of quadrupeds“The horse reared in terror”
- look after a child until it is an adult“raise a family”“bring up children”
- rise up“The building rose before them”
- located in or toward the back or rear“the chair's rear legs”“the rear door of the plane”
Where does rear come from?
Related to rise and raise, which is used for several of its now archaic or obsolete senses and for some of its senses that are currently more common in other dialects of English.
Similar and opposite words
Opposite meaning
Words that rhyme with rear
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of rear.
Questions about saying rear
How do you pronounce rear?
Say REER. The American pronunciation is /rɪr/. In British English it is /rɪə/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in rear?
Rear is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: REER.
Is rear 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 /rɪə/ (REER).