How to pronounce shred
Say it like SHRED. Shred 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 shred. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- SHRED
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Shred pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- SHREDSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
American vs British pronunciation of shred
American and British speakers say shred in essentially the same way: /ʃrɛd/ in the US and /ʃrɛd/ in the UK.
British respelling: SHRED.
What does shred mean?
- A fragment of something; a particle; a piece; also, a very small amount.“There isn’t a shred of evidence to support his claims.”
- A long, narrow piece (especially of fabric) cut or torn off; a strip; specifically, a piece of cloth or clothing.
- A thin strand or wisp, as of a cloud, mist, etc.
- To cut or tear (something) into long, narrow pieces or strips.
- To destroy (a document) by cutting or tearing into strips or small pieces that cannot easily be read, especially using a shredder.
- To cut (fruit peel, a vegetable, etc.) into thin strips that curl.
- Synonym of shredded (“cut or torn into narrow strips or small pieces”).
Where does shred come from?
From Middle English shrede, shred (“fragment, piece, scrap; piece cut off from something; strip of material; ornamental strip hanging from the edge of a garment; thread; band or thread woven in a garment; element, streak; plant (?)”) [and o
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with shred
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of shred.
Questions about saying shred
How do you pronounce shred?
Say SHRED. The American pronunciation is /ʃrɛd/. In British English it is /ʃrɛd/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in shred?
Shred is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: SHRED.
Do Americans and Brits say shred the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ʃrɛd/ and the British form is /ʃrɛd/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.