How to pronounce urge
Say it like URJ. Urge 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 urge. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- URJ
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Urge pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- URJSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ur" in nurse.
American vs British pronunciation of urge
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: URJ.
What does urge mean?
- force or impel in an indicated direction“I urged him to finish his studies”
- push for something“The travel agent recommended strongly that we not travel on Thanksgiving Day”
- spur on or encourage especially by cheers and shouts“The crowd cheered the demonstrating strikers”
- an instinctive motive“profound religious impulses”
- a strong restless desire“why this urge to travel?”
Where does urge come from?
From Latin urgeō (“urge”).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with urge
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of urge.
Questions about saying urge
How do you pronounce urge?
Say URJ. The American pronunciation is /ɝdʒ/. In British English it is /ɜːdʒ/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in urge?
Urge is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: URJ.
Is urge 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 /ɜːdʒ/ (URJ).