How to pronounce reed
Say it like REED. Reed 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 reed. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- REED
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Reed pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- REEDSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
American vs British pronunciation of reed
American and British speakers say reed in essentially the same way: /rid/ in the US and /riːd/ in the UK.
British respelling: REED.
What does reed mean?
- tall woody perennial grasses with hollow slender stems especially of the genera Arundo and Phragmites
- United States journalist who reported on the October Revolution from Petrograd in 1917; founded the Communist Labor Party in America in 1919; is buried in the Kremlin in Moscow (1887-1920)
- United States physician who proved that yellow fever is transmitted by mosquitoes (1851-1902)
Where does reed come from?
Cognate with North Frisian raid (“reed”), Saterland Frisian Räit (“reed”), West Frisian reid (“reed”), Dutch riet (“reed”), German Reet, Ried (“reed”).
Words that rhyme with reed
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of reed.
Words that sound like reed
Questions about saying reed
How do you pronounce reed?
Say REED. The American pronunciation is /rid/. In British English it is /riːd/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in reed?
Reed is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: REED.
Do Americans and Brits say reed the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /rid/ and the British form is /riːd/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.
What words sound the same as reed?
Reed sounds the same as read in American English. The spelling and meaning are what tell them apart.