How to pronounce thicken
Say it like THIK-un. Thicken has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (THIK).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce thicken. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- THIK
- un
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Thicken pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- THIKSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- unKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of thicken
American and British speakers say thicken in essentially the same way: /ˈθɪkən/ in the US and /ˈθɪkən/ in the UK.
British respelling: THIK-un.
What does thicken mean?
- To make thicker (in the sense of wider).
- To make thicker (in the sense of more viscous).“to thicken a sauce”
- To become thicker (in the sense of wider).
Where does thicken come from?
From Middle English thickenen, thikkenen, perhaps from Old Norse þykkna (“to thicken”); equivalent to thick + -en.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Opposite meaning
Words that rhyme with thicken
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of thicken.
Questions about saying thicken
How do you pronounce thicken?
Say THIK-un. The American pronunciation is /ˈθɪkən/. In British English it is /ˈθɪkən/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in thicken?
Thicken has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (THIK). Broken into parts: THIK · un.
Do Americans and Brits say thicken the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈθɪkən/ and the British form is /ˈθɪkən/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.