How to pronounce sheep
Say it like SHEEP. Sheep 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 sheep. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- SHEEP
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Sheep pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- SHEEPSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
American vs British pronunciation of sheep
American and British speakers say sheep in essentially the same way: /ʃip/ in the US and /ʃiːp/ in the UK.
British respelling: SHEEP.
What does sheep mean?
- woolly usually horned ruminant mammal related to the goat
- a timid defenseless simpleton who is readily preyed upon
- a docile and vulnerable person who would rather follow than make an independent decision“his students followed him like sheep”
Where does sheep come from?
Cognate with Scots sheep (“sheep”), Yola sheep, zheep (“sheep”), North Frisian schep, schäip, Sjip (“sheep”), Saterland Frisian Schäip, Skäip (“sheep”), West Frisian skiep (“sheep”), Alemannic German Schaf, Schooff (“sheep”), Bavarian Schof
Words that rhyme with sheep
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of sheep.
Questions about saying sheep
How do you pronounce sheep?
Say SHEEP. The American pronunciation is /ʃip/. In British English it is /ʃiːp/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in sheep?
Sheep is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: SHEEP.
Do Americans and Brits say sheep the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ʃip/ and the British form is /ʃiːp/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.