How to pronounce refuge
Say it like REF-yooj. Refuge has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (REF).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce refuge. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- REF
- yooj
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Refuge pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- REFSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
- yoojKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "oo" in food.
American vs British pronunciation of refuge
American and British speakers say refuge in essentially the same way: /ˈrɛfjudʒ/ in the US and /ˈrɛfjuːdʒ/ in the UK.
British respelling: REF-yooj.
What does refuge mean?
- a safe place“He ran to safety”
- something or someone turned to for assistance or security“his only recourse was the police”“took refuge in lying”
- a shelter from danger or hardship
Where does refuge come from?
From Middle English refuge, from Old French refuge, from Latin refugium, from re- + fugiō (“flee”).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Questions about saying refuge
How do you pronounce refuge?
Say REF-yooj. The American pronunciation is /ˈrɛfjudʒ/. In British English it is /ˈrɛfjuːdʒ/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in refuge?
Refuge has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (REF). Broken into parts: REF · yooj.
Do Americans and Brits say refuge the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈrɛfjudʒ/ and the British form is /ˈrɛfjuːdʒ/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.