How to pronounce sorrow
Say it like SOR-oh. Sorrow has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (SOR).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce sorrow. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- SOR
- oh
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Sorrow pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- SORSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ah" in father.
- ohKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "o" in go.
American vs British pronunciation of sorrow
- The short o is rounded in British English (as in "hot"), but open and unrounded in American English.
- The long o starts further forward in British English, closer to "uh-oo" than the American "oh".
British respelling: SOR-oh.
What does sorrow mean?
- an emotion of great sadness associated with loss or bereavement“he tried to express his sorrow at her loss”
- sadness associated with some wrong done or some disappointment“he drank to drown his sorrows”“he wrote a note expressing his regret”
- something that causes great unhappiness“her death was a great grief to John”
- feel grief
Where does sorrow come from?
From Middle English sorwe, sorow, sorewe, from Old English sorg, sorh (“care, anxiety, sorrow, grief”), from Proto-West Germanic *sorgu, from Proto-Germanic *surgō (compare West Frisian soarch, Dutch zorg, German Sorge, Danish, Swedish and
Similar and opposite words
Opposite meaning
Words that rhyme with sorrow
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of sorrow.
Questions about saying sorrow
How do you pronounce sorrow?
Say SOR-oh. The American pronunciation is /ˈsɑroʊ/. In British English it is /ˈsɒrəʊ/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in sorrow?
Sorrow has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (SOR). Broken into parts: SOR · oh.
Is sorrow 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 /ˈsɒrəʊ/ (SOR-oh).