How to pronounce straight
Say it like STRAYT. Straight 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 straight. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- STRAYT
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Straight pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- STRAYTSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ay" in day.
American vs British pronunciation of straight
American and British speakers say straight in essentially the same way: /streɪt/ in the US and /streɪt/ in the UK.
British respelling: STRAYT.
What does straight mean?
- successive (without a break)“sick for five straight days”
- having no deviations“straight lines”“straight roads across the desert”
- (of hair) having no waves or curls“her naturally straight hair hung long and silky”
- without deviation“the path leads directly to the lake”“went direct to the office”
- in a forthright manner; candidly or frankly“he didn't answer directly”“told me straight out”
- in a straight line; in a direct course“the road runs straight”
- a person having a sexual orientation to persons of the opposite sex
- a poker hand with 5 consecutive cards (regardless of suit)
- a straight segment of a roadway or racecourse
Where does straight come from?
In some senses, conflated with strait (“narrow, constricted”), which is from Latin strictus via Old French estreit.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Opposite meaning
Words that rhyme with straight
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of straight.
Words that sound like straight
Questions about saying straight
How do you pronounce straight?
Say STRAYT. The American pronunciation is /streɪt/. In British English it is /streɪt/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in straight?
Straight is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: STRAYT.
Do Americans and Brits say straight the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /streɪt/ and the British form is /streɪt/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.
What words sound the same as straight?
Straight sounds the same as strait in American English. The spelling and meaning are what tell them apart.