How to pronounce upright
Say it like UHP-ryte. Upright has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (UHP).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce upright. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- UHP
- ryte
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Upright pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- UHPSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "u" in cup.
- ryteGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "i" in time.
American vs British pronunciation of upright
American and British speakers say upright in essentially the same way: /ˈʌˌpraɪt/ in the US and /ˈʌˌpraɪt/ in the UK.
British respelling: UHP-ryte.
Other ways to say upright
Upright also has this pronunciation, usually with a different meaning or use:
- uh-PRYTE /əˈpraɪt/
What does upright mean?
- in a vertical position; not sloping“an upright post”
- of moral excellence“a genuinely good person”“a just cause”
- upright in position or posture“an erect stature”“erect flower stalks”
- a vertical structural member as a post or stake“the ball sailed between the uprights”
- a piano with a vertical sounding board
Where does upright come from?
From Middle English upright, uppryght, upriht, from Old English upriht (“upright; erect”), from Proto-Germanic *upprehtaz, equivalent to up- + right.
Questions about saying upright
How do you pronounce upright?
Say UHP-ryte. The American pronunciation is /ˈʌˌpraɪt/. In British English it is /ˈʌˌpraɪt/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in upright?
Upright has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (UHP). Broken into parts: UHP · ryte.
Do Americans and Brits say upright the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈʌˌpraɪt/ and the British form is /ˈʌˌpraɪt/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.