How to pronounce semblance
Say it like SEM-bluns. Semblance has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (SEM).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce semblance. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- SEM
- bluns
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Semblance pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- SEMSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
- blunsKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of semblance
American and British speakers say semblance in essentially the same way: /ˈsɛmbləns/ in the US and /ˈsɛmblənts/ in the UK.
British respelling: SEM-blunts.
What does semblance mean?
- The outward appearance or form of a person or thing.
- Followed by of: the outward appearance of a person or thing when regarded as similar to that of another person or thing.
- Followed by of: the outward appearance of a person or thing which is different from what the person or thing actually is; also, an outward appearance of a thing which does not actually exist.
Where does semblance come from?
From Middle English semblaunce (“outward appearance, form; appearance without reality; condition or fact of being apparent; symbolic image; facial expression, countenance; conduct, manner; image, likeness; analogy, comparison”), from Anglo-
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Questions about saying semblance
How do you pronounce semblance?
Say SEM-bluns. The American pronunciation is /ˈsɛmbləns/. In British English it is /ˈsɛmblənts/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in semblance?
Semblance has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (SEM). Broken into parts: SEM · bluns.
Do Americans and Brits say semblance the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈsɛmbləns/ and the British form is /ˈsɛmblənts/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.