How to pronounce surreal
Say it like suh-REEL. Surreal has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (REEL).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce surreal. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- suh
- REEL
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Surreal pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- suhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- REELSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
American vs British pronunciation of surreal
- American English uses 2 syllables and British English 3.
British respelling: suh-REE-ul.
What does surreal mean?
- characterized by fantastic imagery and incongruous juxtapositions“a great concourse of phantasmagoric shadows”“the incongruous imagery in surreal art and literature”
- resembling a dream“night invested the lake with a dreamlike quality”“as irrational and surreal as a dream”
Where does surreal come from?
A back-formation from surrealism, equivalent to sur- + real.
Words that rhyme with surreal
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of surreal.
Questions about saying surreal
How do you pronounce surreal?
Say suh-REEL. The American pronunciation is /səˈril/. In British English it is /səˈriːəl/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in surreal?
Surreal has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (REEL). Broken into parts: suh · REEL.
Is surreal pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. American English uses 2 syllables and British English 3. The British form is /səˈriːəl/ (suh-REE-ul).