How to pronounce sour
Say it like SOW-er. Sour has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (SOW).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce sour. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- SOW
- er
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Sour pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- SOWSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ow" in now.
- erKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "er" in butter.
American vs British pronunciation of sour
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: SOW-uh.
What does sour mean?
- go sour or spoil“The milk has soured”“The wine worked”
- make sour or more sour
- smelling of fermentation or staleness
- having a sharp biting taste
- one of the four basic taste sensations; like the taste of vinegar or lemons
- a cocktail made of a liquor (especially whiskey or gin) mixed with lemon or lime juice and sugar
- the taste experience when vinegar or lemon juice is taken into the mouth
- the property of being acidic
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Opposite meaning
Words that rhyme with sour
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of sour.
Questions about saying sour
How do you pronounce sour?
Say SOW-er. The American pronunciation is /ˈsaʊɚ/. In British English it is /ˈsaʊə/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in sour?
Sour has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (SOW). Broken into parts: SOW · er.
Is sour pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead. The British form is /ˈsaʊə/ (SOW-uh).