How to pronounce tow
Say it like TOH. Tow 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 tow. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- TOH
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Tow pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- TOHSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "o" in go.
American vs British pronunciation of tow
- The long o starts further forward in British English, closer to "uh-oo" than the American "oh".
British respelling: TOH.
What does tow mean?
- the act of hauling something (as a vehicle) by means of a hitch or rope“the truck gave him a tow to the garage”
- drag behind“Horses used to tow barges along the canal”
Where does tow come from?
Cognate with German zögern (“to hesitate, pause”), Faroese and Icelandic toga (“to pull”), French touer (“to tow, tug a ship”); also Welsh dwyn (“to steal; to take; to bring to”), Latin dūcō (“to conduct, guide, lead; to take; to draw, pull
Words that rhyme with tow
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of tow.
Words that sound like tow
Questions about saying tow
How do you pronounce tow?
Say TOH. The American pronunciation is /toʊ/. In British English it is /təʊ/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in tow?
Tow is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: TOH.
Is tow pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. The long o starts further forward in British English, closer to "uh-oo" than the American "oh". The British form is /təʊ/ (TOH).
What words sound the same as tow?
Tow sounds the same as toe in American English. The spelling and meaning are what tell them apart.