How to pronounce top
Say it like TOP. Top 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 top. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- TOP
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Top pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- TOPSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ah" in father.
American vs British pronunciation of top
- The short o is rounded in British English (as in "hot"), but open and unrounded in American English.
British respelling: TOP.
Other ways to say top
Top also has this pronunciation, usually with a different meaning or use:
- TAWP /tɔp/
What does top mean?
- the upper part of anything“the mower cuts off the tops of the grass”“the title should be written at the top of the first page”
- the highest or uppermost side of anything“put your books on top of the desk”“only the top side of the box was painted”
- the top or extreme point of something (usually a mountain or hill)“the view from the peak was magnificent”“they clambered to the tip of Monadnock”
- be superior or better than some standard“She exceeded our expectations”“She topped her performance of last year”
- pass by, over, or under without making contact“the balloon cleared the tree tops”
- be at the top of or constitute the top or highest point“A star tops the Christmas Tree”
- situated at the top or highest position“the top shelf”
Where does top come from?
The sense of a spinning toy is separated from this, obscurely related to Dutch top and dop in this sense, against Standard Dutch tol, and French toupie having this sense.
Similar and opposite words
Opposite meaning
Words that rhyme with top
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of top.
Questions about saying top
How do you pronounce top?
Say TOP. The American pronunciation is /tɑp/. In British English it is /tɒp/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in top?
Top is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: TOP.
Is top 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 /tɒp/ (TOP).