How to pronounce serious
Say it like SIR-ee-us. Serious has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (SIR).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce serious. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- SIR
- ee
- us
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Serious pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- SIRSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- eeKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
- usKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of serious
American and British speakers say serious in essentially the same way: /ˈsɪriəs/ in the US and /ˈsɪəriəs/ in the UK.
British respelling: SEER-ree-us.
What does serious mean?
- concerned with work or important matters rather than play or trivialities“a serious student of history”“a serious attempt to learn to ski”
- of great consequence“marriage is a serious matter”
- causing fear or anxiety by threatening great harm“a dangerous operation”“a grave situation”
Where does serious come from?
From Middle English seryows, from Old French serieux, from Medieval Latin sēriōsus, an extension of Latin sērius (“grave, earnest, serious”), possibly ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *swer- (“heavy”).
Similar and opposite words
Opposite meaning
Words that rhyme with serious
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of serious.
Questions about saying serious
How do you pronounce serious?
Say SIR-ee-us. The American pronunciation is /ˈsɪriəs/. In British English it is /ˈsɪəriəs/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in serious?
Serious has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (SIR). Broken into parts: SIR · ee · us.
Do Americans and Brits say serious the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈsɪriəs/ and the British form is /ˈsɪəriəs/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.