How to pronounce round
Say it like ROWND. Round 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 round. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- ROWND
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Round pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- ROWNDSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ow" in now.
American vs British pronunciation of round
American and British speakers say round in essentially the same way: /raʊnd/ in the US and /raʊnd/ in the UK.
British respelling: ROWND.
What does round mean?
- a charge of ammunition for a single shot
- an interval during which a recurring sequence of events occurs“the never-ending cycle of the seasons”
- a regular route for a sentry or policeman“in the old days a policeman walked a beat and knew all his people by name”
- having the shape or form of a circle
- (of sounds) full and rich“orotund tones”“the rotund and reverberating phrase”
- (mathematics) expressed to the nearest integer, ten, hundred, or thousand“in round numbers”
- wind around; move along a circular course“round the bend”
- make round“round the edges”
- pronounce with rounded lips
Where does round come from?
From Middle English round, rounde, from Old Northern French roünt, rund, Old French ront, runt, reont ( > French rond), from both Late Latin retundus and the original Latin rotundus.
Similar and opposite words
Opposite meaning
Words that rhyme with round
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of round.
Words that sound like round
- 'round
Questions about saying round
How do you pronounce round?
Say ROWND. The American pronunciation is /raʊnd/. In British English it is /raʊnd/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in round?
Round is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: ROWND.
Do Americans and Brits say round the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /raʊnd/ and the British form is /raʊnd/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.
What words sound the same as round?
Round sounds the same as 'round in American English. The spelling and meaning are what tell them apart.