How to pronounce sound
Say it like SOWND. Sound 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 sound. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- SOWND
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Sound pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- SOWNDSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ow" in now.
American vs British pronunciation of sound
American and British speakers say sound in essentially the same way: /saʊnd/ in the US and /saʊnd/ in the UK.
British respelling: SOWND.
What does sound mean?
- the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause“the sound of rain on the roof”“the beautiful sound of music”
- the subjective sensation of hearing something“he strained to hear the faint sounds”
- mechanical vibrations transmitted by an elastic medium“falling trees make a sound in the forest even when no one is there to hear them”
- appear in a certain way“This sounds interesting”
- make a certain noise or sound“She went `Mmmmm'”“The gun went `bang'”
- give off a certain sound or sounds“This record sounds scratchy”
- financially secure and safe“sound investments”“a sound economy”
- exercising or showing good judgment“healthy scepticism”“a healthy fear of rattlesnakes”
- in good condition; free from defect or damage or decay“a sound timber”“the wall is sound”
Where does sound come from?
Cognate with Scots sound, soun (“healthy, sound”), Saterland Frisian suund, gesuund (“healthy”), West Frisian sûn (“healthy”), Dutch gezond (“healthy, sound”), Low German sund, gesund (“healthy”), German gesund (“healthy, sound”), Danish su
Similar and opposite words
Opposite meaning
Words that rhyme with sound
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of sound.
Questions about saying sound
How do you pronounce sound?
Say SOWND. The American pronunciation is /saʊnd/. In British English it is /saʊnd/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in sound?
Sound is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: SOWND.
Do Americans and Brits say sound the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /saʊnd/ and the British form is /saʊnd/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.