How to pronounce roar
Say it like ROR. Roar 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 roar. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- ROR
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Roar pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- RORSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "aw" in law.
American vs British pronunciation of roar
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: RAW.
What does roar mean?
- make a loud noise, as of wind, water, or vehicles“The wind was howling in the trees”“The water roared down the chute”
- utter words loudly and forcefully“`Get out of here,' he roared”
- emit long loud cries“wail in self-pity”“howl with sorrow”
- a deep prolonged loud noise
- a very loud utterance (like the sound of an animal)“his bellow filled the hallway”
- the sound made by a lion
Where does roar come from?
Cognate with Saterland Frisian roorje (“to roar”), German röhren (“to roar”).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with roar
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of roar.
Questions about saying roar
How do you pronounce roar?
Say ROR. The American pronunciation is /rɔr/. In British English it is /rɔː/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in roar?
Roar is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: ROR.
Is roar 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 /rɔː/ (RAW).