How to pronounce sugarcoat
Say it like SHUUG-er-koht. Sugarcoat has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (SHUUG).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce sugarcoat. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- SHUUG
- er
- koht
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Sugarcoat pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- SHUUGSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "oo" in book.
- erKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "er" in butter.
- kohtGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "o" in go.
American vs British pronunciation of sugarcoat
- 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: SHUUG-uh-koht.
What does sugarcoat mean?
- To coat with sugar.
- To make superficially more attractive; to give a falsely pleasant appearance to.“There's no way to sugarcoat the loss of the space shuttle; it was an unmitigated disaster.”
Where does sugarcoat come from?
From sugar + coat; figurative sense from the practice of coating medicinal tablets or pills with sugar in order to disguise their unpleasant taste (sugarcoating the pill).
Questions about saying sugarcoat
How do you pronounce sugarcoat?
Say SHUUG-er-koht. The American pronunciation is /ˈʃʊɡɚˌkoʊt/. In British English it is /ˈʃʊɡəˌkəʊt/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in sugarcoat?
Sugarcoat has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (SHUUG). Broken into parts: SHUUG · er · koht.
Is sugarcoat 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 /ˈʃʊɡəˌkəʊt/ (SHUUG-uh-koht).