How to pronounce sleep
Say it like SLEEP. Sleep 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 sleep. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- SLEEP
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Sleep pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- SLEEPSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
American vs British pronunciation of sleep
American and British speakers say sleep in essentially the same way: /slip/ in the US and /sliːp/ in the UK.
British respelling: SLEEP.
What does sleep mean?
- a natural and periodic state of rest during which consciousness of the world is suspended“he didn't get enough sleep last night”“calm as a child in dreamless slumber”
- a torpid state resembling deep sleep
- a period of time spent sleeping“he felt better after a little sleep”“there wasn't time for a nap”
- be asleep
- be able to accommodate for sleeping“This tent sleeps six people”
Where does sleep come from?
Cognate with North Frisian sleepe, sliap, sliip, släipe (“to sleep”), Saterland Frisian släipe (“to sleep”), West Frisian sliepe (“to sleep”), Alemannic German schlaaffe, schlaafä, schlafe, schloafe, schloafen, schlofe, schlàfu (“to sleep”)
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Opposite meaning
Words that rhyme with sleep
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of sleep.
Questions about saying sleep
How do you pronounce sleep?
Say SLEEP. The American pronunciation is /slip/. In British English it is /sliːp/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in sleep?
Sleep is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: SLEEP.
Do Americans and Brits say sleep the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /slip/ and the British form is /sliːp/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.