How to pronounce tire
Say it like TY-er. Tire has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (TY).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce tire. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- TY
- er
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Tire pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- TYSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in time.
- erKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "er" in butter.
American vs British pronunciation of tire
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: TY-uh.
What does tire mean?
- lose interest or become bored with something or somebody“I'm so tired of your mother and her complaints about my food”
- exhaust or get tired through overuse or great strain or stress“We wore ourselves out on this hike”
- deplete“exhaust one's savings”“We quickly played out our strength”
- hoop that covers a wheel“automobile tires are usually made of rubber and filled with compressed air”
Where does tire come from?
From Middle English tiren, tirien, teorien, from Old English tȳrian, tēorian (“to fail, cease, become weary, be tired, exhausted; tire, weary, exhaust”), of uncertain origin.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Opposite meaning
Words that rhyme with tire
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of tire.
Questions about saying tire
How do you pronounce tire?
Say TY-er. The American pronunciation is /ˈtaɪɚ/. In British English it is /ˈtaɪə/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in tire?
Tire has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (TY). Broken into parts: TY · er.
Is tire pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead. The British form is /ˈtaɪə/ (TY-uh).