How to pronounce tease
Say it like TEEZ. Tease is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress.
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce tease. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- TEEZ
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Tease pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- TEEZSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
American vs British pronunciation of tease
American and British speakers say tease in essentially the same way: /tiz/ in the US and /tiːz/ in the UK.
British respelling: TEEZ.
What does tease mean?
- annoy persistently“The children teased the boy because of his stammer”
- harass with persistent criticism or carping“The children teased the new teacher”“Don't ride me so hard over my failure”
- to arouse hope, desire, or curiosity without satisfying them“The advertisement is intended to tease the customers”“She has a way of teasing men with her flirtatious behavior”
- someone given to teasing (as by mocking or stirring curiosity)
- a seductive woman who uses her sex appeal to exploit men
- the act of harassing someone playfully or maliciously (especially by ridicule); provoking someone with persistent annoyances“he ignored their teases”“his ribbing was gentle but persistent”
Where does tease come from?
From Middle English tesen, from Old English tǣsan (“to tease”), from Proto-West Germanic *taisijan (“to separate, tug, shred”).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with tease
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of tease.
Words that sound like tease
- t's
Questions about saying tease
How do you pronounce tease?
Say TEEZ. The American pronunciation is /tiz/. In British English it is /tiːz/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in tease?
Tease is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: TEEZ.
Do Americans and Brits say tease the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /tiz/ and the British form is /tiːz/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.
What words sound the same as tease?
Tease sounds the same as t's in American English. The spelling and meaning are what tell them apart.