How to pronounce saw
Say it like SAW. Saw 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 saw. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- SAW
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Saw pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- SAWSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "aw" in law.
American vs British pronunciation of saw
American and British speakers say saw in essentially the same way: /sɔ/ in the US and /sɔː/ in the UK.
British respelling: SAW.
What does saw mean?
- cut with a saw“saw wood for the fireplace”
- a condensed but memorable saying embodying some important fact of experience that is taken as true by many people
- hand tool having a toothed blade for cutting
- a power tool for cutting wood
Where does saw come from?
The verb from Middle English sawen, from the noun above.
Words that rhyme with saw
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of saw.
Questions about saying saw
How do you pronounce saw?
Say SAW. The American pronunciation is /sɔ/. In British English it is /sɔː/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in saw?
Saw is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: SAW.
Do Americans and Brits say saw the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /sɔ/ and the British form is /sɔː/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.