How to pronounce sustainable
Say it like suh-STAY-nuh-bul. Sustainable has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (STAY).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce sustainable. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- suh
- STAY
- nuh
- bul
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Sustainable 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.
- STAYSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ay" in day.
- nuhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- bulKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of sustainable
American and British speakers say sustainable in essentially the same way: /səˈsteɪnəbəl/ in the US and /səˈsteɪnəbəl/ in the UK.
British respelling: suh-STAY-nuh-bul.
What does sustainable mean?
- capable of being sustained
Where does sustainable come from?
From sustain + -able.
Words that rhyme with sustainable
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of sustainable.
Questions about saying sustainable
How do you pronounce sustainable?
Say suh-STAY-nuh-bul. The American pronunciation is /səˈsteɪnəbəl/. In British English it is /səˈsteɪnəbəl/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in sustainable?
Sustainable has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (STAY). Broken into parts: suh · STAY · nuh · bul.
Do Americans and Brits say sustainable the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /səˈsteɪnəbəl/ and the British form is /səˈsteɪnəbəl/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.