How to pronounce southwestern
Say it like sowth-WES-tern. Southwestern has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (WES).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce southwestern. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- sowth
- WES
- tern
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Southwestern pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- sowthGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "ow" in now.
- WESSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
- ternKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "er" in butter.
American vs British pronunciation of southwestern
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: sowth-WES-tun.
What does southwestern mean?
- a dialect of Middle English
- situated in or oriented toward the southwest
- of a region of the United States generally including New Mexico; Arizona; Texas; California; and sometimes Nevada; Utah; Colorado
Where does southwestern come from?
From Middle English southwesterne, from Old English sūþwesterne, equivalent to south + western.
Words that rhyme with southwestern
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of southwestern.
Questions about saying southwestern
How do you pronounce southwestern?
Say sowth-WES-tern. The American pronunciation is /ˌsaʊθˈwɛstɚn/. In British English it is /ˌsaʊθˈwɛstən/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in southwestern?
Southwestern has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (WES). Broken into parts: sowth · WES · tern.
Is southwestern 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 /ˌsaʊθˈwɛstən/ (sowth-WES-tun).