How to pronounce seriousness
Say it like SIR-ee-uh-snus. Seriousness has four 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 seriousness. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- SIR
- ee
- uh
- snus
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Seriousness 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.
- uhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- snusKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of seriousness
American and British speakers say seriousness in essentially the same way: /ˈsɪriəsnəs/ in the US and /ˈsɪəriəsnəs/ in the UK.
British respelling: SEER-ree-uh-snus.
What does seriousness mean?
- an earnest and sincere feeling
- the quality of arousing fear or distress“he learned the seriousness of his illness”
- the trait of being serious“a lack of solemnity is not necessarily a lack of seriousness”
Where does seriousness come from?
From serious + -ness.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Questions about saying seriousness
How do you pronounce seriousness?
Say SIR-ee-uh-snus. The American pronunciation is /ˈsɪriəsnəs/. In British English it is /ˈsɪəriəsnəs/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in seriousness?
Seriousness has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (SIR). Broken into parts: SIR · ee · uh · snus.
Do Americans and Brits say seriousness the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈsɪriəsnəs/ and the British form is /ˈsɪəriəsnəs/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.