How to pronounce stab
Say it like STAB. Stab 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 stab. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- STAB
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Stab pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- STABSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "a" in cat.
American vs British pronunciation of stab
American and British speakers say stab in essentially the same way: /stæb/ in the US and /stæb/ in the UK.
British respelling: STAB.
What does stab mean?
- use a knife on“The victim was knifed to death”
- stab or pierce“he jabbed the piece of meat with his pocket knife”
- poke or thrust abruptly“he jabbed his finger into her ribs”
- a sudden sharp feeling“pangs of regret”“she felt a stab of excitement”
- a strong blow with a knife or other sharp pointed instrument“one strong stab to the heart killed him”
- informal words for any attempt or effort“he gave it his best shot”“he took a stab at forecasting”
Where does stab come from?
Supposed by some to derive from Scottish Gaelic stob (“to prick, to prod, to push, to thrust”); supposed by others to be from a Scots word.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with stab
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of stab.
Questions about saying stab
How do you pronounce stab?
Say STAB. The American pronunciation is /stæb/. In British English it is /stæb/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in stab?
Stab is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: STAB.
Do Americans and Brits say stab the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /stæb/ and the British form is /stæb/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.