How to pronounce rim
Say it like RIM. Rim 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 rim. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- RIM
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Rim pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- RIMSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
American vs British pronunciation of rim
American and British speakers say rim in essentially the same way: /rɪm/ in the US and /rɪm/ in the UK.
British respelling: RIM.
What does rim mean?
- the shape of a raised edge of a more or less circular object
- (basketball) the hoop from which the net is suspended“the ball hit the rim and bounced off”
- the outer part of a wheel to which the tire is attached
- run around the rim of“Sugar rimmed the dessert plate”
- furnish with a rim“rim a hat”
- roll around the rim of“the ball rimmed the basket”
Where does rim come from?
From Middle English rim, rym, rime, from Old English rima (“rim, edge, border, bank, coast”), from Proto-Germanic *rimô, *rembô (“edge, border”), possibly from Proto-Indo-European *rem-, *remə- (“to rest, support, be based”).
Words that rhyme with rim
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of rim.
Questions about saying rim
How do you pronounce rim?
Say RIM. The American pronunciation is /rɪm/. In British English it is /rɪm/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in rim?
Rim is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: RIM.
Do Americans and Brits say rim the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /rɪm/ and the British form is /rɪm/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.