How to pronounce swallow
Say it like SWAH-loh. Swallow has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (SWAH).
- SWAH
- loh
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Swallow pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- SWAHSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ah" in father.
- lohKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "o" in go.
American vs British pronunciation of swallow
- The short o is rounded in British English (as in "hot"), but open and unrounded in American English.
- The long o starts further forward in British English, closer to "uh-oo" than the American "oh".
British respelling: SWOL-oh.
Other ways to say swallow
Swallow also has this pronunciation, usually with a different meaning or use:
- SWAW-loh /ˈswɔloʊ/
What does swallow mean?
- To cause (food, drink etc.) to pass from the mouth into the stomach; to take into the stomach through the throat.
- To take (something) in so that it disappears; to consume, absorb.
- To take food down into the stomach; to make the muscular contractions of the oesophagus to achieve this, often taken as a sign of nervousness or strong emotion.“My throat was so sore that I was unable to swallow.”
- The amount swallowed in one gulp; the act of swallowing.“He took the aspirin with a single swallow of water.”
- The opening in a pulley block between the sheave and shell through which the rope passes.
- Any of various carbohydrate-based dishes that are swallowed without much chewing, commonly paired and eaten with various types of soup.
- A small, migratory bird of the Hirundinidae family with long, pointed, moon-shaped wings and a forked tail which feeds on the wing by catching insects.
Where does swallow come from?
The noun is from Middle English swolow, swolwe, from Old English swelh, swelg (“gulf, chasm”) and ġeswelge (“gulf, chasm, abyss, whirlpool”), both from Proto-West Germanic *swelg, *swalgi, from Proto-Germanic *swelgaz, *swalgiz.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with swallow
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of swallow.
Questions about saying swallow
How do you pronounce swallow?
Say SWAH-loh. The American pronunciation is /ˈswɑloʊ/. In British English it is /ˈswɒləʊ/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in swallow?
Swallow has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (SWAH). Broken into parts: SWAH · loh.
Is swallow pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. The short o is rounded in British English (as in "hot"), but open and unrounded in American English. The British form is /ˈswɒləʊ/ (SWOL-oh).