How to pronounce stupid
Say it like STOO-pud. Stupid has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (STOO).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce stupid. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- STOO
- pud
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Stupid pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- STOOSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "oo" in food.
- pudKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of stupid
- British speakers add a light "y" sound before the "oo" (as in "tyoon" for tune).
British respelling: STYOO-pid.
What does stupid mean?
- lacking or marked by lack of intellectual acuity
- in a state of mental numbness especially as resulting from shock“he had a dazed expression on his face”“lay semiconscious, stunned (or stupefied) by the blow”
- lacking intelligence“a dull job with lazy and unintelligent co-workers”
- a person who is not very bright“The economy, stupid!”
Where does stupid come from?
From Middle French stupide, from Latin stupidus (“struck senseless, amazed”), from stupeō (“be amazed or confounded, be struck senseless”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)tup-, *(s)tewp- (“to push, stick”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)tew- (“to push, hit”).
Similar and opposite words
Opposite meaning
Questions about saying stupid
How do you pronounce stupid?
Say STOO-pud. The American pronunciation is /ˈstupəd/. In British English it is /ˈstjuːpɪd/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in stupid?
Stupid has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (STOO). Broken into parts: STOO · pud.
Is stupid pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. British speakers add a light "y" sound before the "oo" (as in "tyoon" for tune). The British form is /ˈstjuːpɪd/ (STYOO-pid).