How to pronounce smack
Say it like SMAK. Smack 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 smack. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- SMAK
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Smack pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- SMAKSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "a" in cat.
American vs British pronunciation of smack
American and British speakers say smack in essentially the same way: /smæk/ in the US and /smæk/ in the UK.
British respelling: SMAK.
What does smack mean?
- deliver a hard blow to“The teacher smacked the student who had misbehaved”
- have an element suggestive (of something)“his speeches smacked of racism”“this passage smells of plagiarism”
- have a distinctive or characteristic taste“This tastes of nutmeg”
- a blow from a flat object (as an open hand)
- the taste experience when a savoury condiment is taken into the mouth
- a sailing ship (usually rigged like a sloop or cutter) used in fishing and sailing along the coast
- directly“he ran bang into the pole”“ran slap into her”
Where does smack come from?
Cognate with Scots smak (“scent, smell, taste, flavor”), Saterland Frisian Smoak (“taste”), West Frisian smaak (“taste”), Dutch smaak (“taste”), German Schmack, Geschmack (“taste”), Danish smag (“taste”), Swedish and Norwegian smak (“taste”), Norwegian smekke.
Words that rhyme with smack
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of smack.
Questions about saying smack
How do you pronounce smack?
Say SMAK. The American pronunciation is /smæk/. In British English it is /smæk/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in smack?
Smack is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: SMAK.
Do Americans and Brits say smack the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /smæk/ and the British form is /smæk/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.