How to pronounce squat
Say it like SKWAHT. Squat 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 squat. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- SKWAHT
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Squat pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- SKWAHTSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ah" in father.
American vs British pronunciation of squat
- The short o is rounded in British English (as in "hot"), but open and unrounded in American English.
British respelling: SKWOT.
What does squat mean?
- To bend deeply at the knees while resting on one's feet.
- To exercise by bending deeply at the knees and then rising, while bearing weight across the shoulders or upper back.
- To lift (a barbell) while performing a squat“I can squat 150 lbs.”
- Relatively short or low, and thick or broad.
- Sitting on one's heels; sitting close to the ground; cowering or crouching.
- A position assumed by bending deeply at the knees while resting on one's feet.
- Any of various modes of callisthenic exercises performed by moving the body and bending at least one knee.
- A specific exercise in weightlifting performed by bending deeply at the knees and then rising (back squat), especially with a barbell resting across the shoulders (barbell back squat).
Where does squat come from?
The sense “nothing” is synchronically analyzable as a clipping of diddly-squat, although diachronically the direction of derivation is uncertain.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with squat
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of squat.
Questions about saying squat
How do you pronounce squat?
Say SKWAHT. The American pronunciation is /skwɑt/. In British English it is /skwɒt/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in squat?
Squat is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: SKWAHT.
Is squat 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 /skwɒt/ (SKWOT).