How to pronounce strengthen
Say it like STRENG-thun. Strengthen has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (STRENG).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce strengthen. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- STRENG
- thun
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Strengthen pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- STRENGSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
- thunKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of strengthen
American and British speakers say strengthen in essentially the same way: /ˈstrɛŋθən/ in the US and /ˈstrɛŋθən/ in the UK.
British respelling: STRENG-thun.
What does strengthen mean?
- make strong or stronger“This exercise will strengthen your upper body”“strengthen the relations between the two countries”
- gain strength“His body strengthened”
- give a healthy elasticity to“Let's tone our muscles”
Where does strengthen come from?
From rare Middle English strengthenen (14th c.), from earlier strengthen (12th c.), where -en is the infinitive ending.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Opposite meaning
Words that rhyme with strengthen
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of strengthen.
Questions about saying strengthen
How do you pronounce strengthen?
Say STRENG-thun. The American pronunciation is /ˈstrɛŋθən/. In British English it is /ˈstrɛŋθən/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in strengthen?
Strengthen has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (STRENG). Broken into parts: STRENG · thun.
Do Americans and Brits say strengthen the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈstrɛŋθən/ and the British form is /ˈstrɛŋθən/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.