How to pronounce smoking
Say it like SMOH-king. Smoking has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (SMOH).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce smoking. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- SMOH
- king
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Smoking pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- SMOHSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "o" in go.
- kingKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
American vs British pronunciation of smoking
- The long o starts further forward in British English, closer to "uh-oo" than the American "oh".
British respelling: SMOH-king.
What does smoking mean?
- the act of smoking tobacco or other substances“he went outside for a smoke”“smoking stinks”
- a hot vapor containing fine particles of carbon being produced by combustion“the fire produced a tower of black smoke that could be seen for miles”
- emitting smoke in great volume“a smoking fireplace”
Where does smoking come from?
From Middle English smokynge, smokiende, from Old English smociende (“smoking”), from Proto-Germanic *smukōndz (“emitting smoke, smoking”), equivalent to smoke + -ing.
Words that rhyme with smoking
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of smoking.
Questions about saying smoking
How do you pronounce smoking?
Say SMOH-king. The American pronunciation is /ˈsmoʊkɪŋ/. In British English it is /ˈsməʊkɪŋ/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in smoking?
Smoking has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (SMOH). Broken into parts: SMOH · king.
Is smoking pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. The long o starts further forward in British English, closer to "uh-oo" than the American "oh". The British form is /ˈsməʊkɪŋ/ (SMOH-king).