How to pronounce silent
Say it like SY-lunt. Silent has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (SY).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce silent. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- SY
- lunt
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Silent pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- SYSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in time.
- luntKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of silent
American and British speakers say silent in essentially the same way: /ˈsaɪlənt/ in the US and /ˈsaɪlənt/ in the UK.
British respelling: SY-lunt.
What does silent mean?
- marked by absence of sound“a silent house”“soundless footsteps on the grass”
- failing to speak or communicate etc when expected to“the witness remained silent”
- implied by or inferred from actions or statements“gave silent consent”“a tacit agreement”
Where does silent come from?
From Latin silēns (“silent”), present participle of sileō (“be silent”), from Proto-Indo-European *seyl- (“still, windless, quiet, slow”).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Questions about saying silent
How do you pronounce silent?
Say SY-lunt. The American pronunciation is /ˈsaɪlənt/. In British English it is /ˈsaɪlənt/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in silent?
Silent has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (SY). Broken into parts: SY · lunt.
Do Americans and Brits say silent the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈsaɪlənt/ and the British form is /ˈsaɪlənt/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.