How to pronounce soft
Say it like SOFT. Soft is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress.
- SOFT
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Soft pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- SOFTSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ah" in father.
American vs British pronunciation of soft
- The short o is rounded in British English (as in "hot"), but open and unrounded in American English.
British respelling: SOFT.
Other ways to say soft
Soft also has this pronunciation, usually with a different meaning or use:
- SAWFT /sɔft/
What does soft mean?
- Easily giving way under pressure.“My head sank easily into the soft pillow.”
- Smooth and flexible; not rough, rugged, or harsh.“Polish the silver with a soft cloth to avoid scratching.”
- Quiet.“I could hear the soft rustle of the leaves in the trees.”
- A soft drink.
- A tyre whose compound is softer than mediums, and harder than supersofts.
- A soft sound or part of a sound.
Where does soft come from?
From Middle English softe, from Old English sōfte, alteration of earlier sēfte (“soft”), from Proto-West Germanic *samft(ī) (“level, even, smooth, soft, gentle”) (compare *sōmiz (“agreeable, fitting”)), from Proto-Indo-European *semptio-, *
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Opposite meaning
Words that rhyme with soft
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of soft.
Questions about saying soft
How do you pronounce soft?
Say SOFT. The American pronunciation is /sɑft/. In British English it is /sɒft/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in soft?
Soft is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: SOFT.
Is soft pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. The short o is rounded in British English (as in "hot"), but open and unrounded in American English. The British form is /sɒft/ (SOFT).