How to pronounce scan
Say it like SKAN. Scan is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress.
- SKAN
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Scan pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- SKANSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "a" in cat.
American vs British pronunciation of scan
American and British speakers say scan in essentially the same way: /skæn/ in the US and /skæn/ in the UK.
British respelling: SKAN.
What does scan mean?
- To examine sequentially, carefully, or critically; to scrutinize; to behold closely.“She scanned the passage carefully but could not find what she was looking for.”
- To inspect, analyse or go over, often to find something.“to scan the hard drive for errors”
- To look about for; to look over quickly.
- Of written things, a careful reading.
- Of written things, a cursory reading: a skim.
- An instance of scanning.“The operators vacated the room during the scan.”
Where does scan come from?
From late Middle English scanne (“to mark off verse to show metrical structure”), from earlier scanden, from Late Latin scandere (“to scan verse”), from Classical Latin scandō (“to climb, rise, mount”), from Proto-Indo-European *skend- (“to
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with scan
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of scan.
Questions about saying scan
How do you pronounce scan?
Say SKAN. The American pronunciation is /skæn/. In British English it is /skæn/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in scan?
Scan is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: SKAN.
Do Americans and Brits say scan the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /skæn/ and the British form is /skæn/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.