How to pronounce sense
Say it like SENS. Sense 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 sense. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- SENS
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Sense pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- SENSSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
American vs British pronunciation of sense
American and British speakers say sense in essentially the same way: /sɛns/ in the US and /sɛns/ in the UK.
British respelling: SENS.
What does sense mean?
- a general conscious awareness“a sense of security”“a sense of happiness”
- the meaning of a word or expression; the way in which a word or expression or situation can be interpreted“the dictionary gave several senses for the word”“in the best sense charity is really a duty”
- the faculty through which the external world is apprehended“in the dark he had to depend on touch and on his senses of smell and hearing”
- perceive by a physical sensation, e.g., coming from the skin or muscles“He felt the wind”“She felt an object brushing her arm”
- detect some circumstance or entity automatically“This robot can sense the presence of people in the room”“particle detectors sense ionization”
- become aware of not through the senses but instinctively“I sense his hostility”“I smell trouble”
Where does sense come from?
From Middle English sense, from Old French sens, sen, san (“sense, perception, direction”); partly from Latin sēnsus (“sensation, feeling, meaning”), from sentiō (“feel, perceive”); partly of Germanic origin (whence also Occitan sen, Italia
Words that rhyme with sense
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of sense.
Questions about saying sense
How do you pronounce sense?
Say SENS. The American pronunciation is /sɛns/. In British English it is /sɛns/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in sense?
Sense is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: SENS.
Do Americans and Brits say sense the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /sɛns/ and the British form is /sɛns/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.