How to pronounce straw
Say it like STRAW. Straw 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 straw. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- STRAW
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Straw pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- STRAWSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "aw" in law.
American vs British pronunciation of straw
American and British speakers say straw in essentially the same way: /strɔ/ in the US and /strɔː/ in the UK.
British respelling: STRAW.
What does straw mean?
- plant fiber used e.g. for making baskets and hats or as fodder
- material consisting of seed coverings and small pieces of stem or leaves that have been separated from the seeds
- a variable yellow tint; dull yellow, often diluted with white
- of a pale yellow color like straw; straw-colored
- cover or provide with or as if with straw“cows were strawed to weather the snowstorm”
- spread by scattering ( is archaic)“straw”“strew toys all over the carpet”
Words that rhyme with straw
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of straw.
Questions about saying straw
How do you pronounce straw?
Say STRAW. The American pronunciation is /strɔ/. In British English it is /strɔː/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in straw?
Straw is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: STRAW.
Do Americans and Brits say straw the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /strɔ/ and the British form is /strɔː/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.