How to pronounce something
Say it like SUHM-thing. Something has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (SUHM).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce something. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- SUHM
- thing
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Something pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- SUHMSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "u" in cup.
- thingKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
American vs British pronunciation of something
American and British speakers say something in essentially the same way: /ˈsʌmθɪŋ/ in the US and /ˈsʌmθɪŋ/ in the UK.
British respelling: SUHM-thing.
What does something mean?
- An uncertain or unspecified thing; one thing.“I must have forgotten to pack something, but I can't think what.”
- A quality to a moderate degree.“The performance was something of a disappointment.”
- A talent or quality that is difficult to specify.“She has a certain something.”
- Having a characteristic that the speaker cannot specify.
- Somewhat; to a degree.“The baby looks something like his father.”
- Used to adverbialise a following adjective
Where does something come from?
From Middle English somþyng, some-thing, som thing, sum thinge, sum þinge, from Old English sum þing (literally “some thing”), equivalent to some + thing.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
- sth
Questions about saying something
How do you pronounce something?
Say SUHM-thing. The American pronunciation is /ˈsʌmθɪŋ/. In British English it is /ˈsʌmθɪŋ/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in something?
Something has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (SUHM). Broken into parts: SUHM · thing.
Do Americans and Brits say something the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈsʌmθɪŋ/ and the British form is /ˈsʌmθɪŋ/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.