How to pronounce steamroller
Say it like STEEM-roh-ler. Steamroller has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (STEEM).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce steamroller. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- STEEM
- roh
- ler
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Steamroller pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- STEEMSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
- rohGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "o" in go.
- lerKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "er" in butter.
American vs British pronunciation of steamroller
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
- The long o starts further forward in British English, closer to "uh-oo" than the American "oh".
British respelling: STEEM-roh-luh.
What does steamroller mean?
- Any heavy road roller.
- Any seemingly irresistible force.
- A pipe, used for smoking cannabis, open at both ends and having a bowl near one end.
- To level a road using a steamroller.
- To proceed ruthlessly against all opposition as if with an overwhelming force.
Where does steamroller come from?
From steam + roller.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Questions about saying steamroller
How do you pronounce steamroller?
Say STEEM-roh-ler. The American pronunciation is /ˈstimˌroʊlɚ/. In British English it is /ˈstiːmˌrəʊlə/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in steamroller?
Steamroller has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (STEEM). Broken into parts: STEEM · roh · ler.
Is steamroller 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 /ˈstiːmˌrəʊlə/ (STEEM-roh-luh).