How to pronounce sift
Say it like SIFT. Sift 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 sift. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- SIFT
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Sift pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- SIFTSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
American vs British pronunciation of sift
American and British speakers say sift in essentially the same way: /sɪft/ in the US and /sɪft/ in the UK.
British respelling: SIFT.
What does sift mean?
- To sieve or strain (something).
- To separate or scatter (things) as if by sieving.
- [with through] To carefully go through a set of objects, or a collection of information, in order to find something.
- An act of sifting.
Where does sift come from?
From Middle English syften, from Old English siftan, from Proto-West Germanic *siftijan.
Words that rhyme with sift
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of sift.
Questions about saying sift
How do you pronounce sift?
Say SIFT. The American pronunciation is /sɪft/. In British English it is /sɪft/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in sift?
Sift is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: SIFT.
Do Americans and Brits say sift the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /sɪft/ and the British form is /sɪft/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.