How to pronounce vacation
Say it like vay-KAY-shun. Vacation has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (KAY).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce vacation. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- vay
- KAY
- shun
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Vacation pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- vayKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ay" in day.
- KAYSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ay" in day.
- shunKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of vacation
American and British speakers say vacation in essentially the same way: /veɪˈkeɪʃən/ in the US and /veɪˈkeɪʃən/ in the UK.
British respelling: vay-KAY-shun.
What does vacation mean?
- leisure time away from work devoted to rest or pleasure“we get two weeks of vacation every summer”“we took a short holiday in Puerto Rico”
- the act of making something legally void
- spend or take a vacation
Where does vacation come from?
Inherited from Middle English vacation, vacacion, vacacioun, from Anglo-Norman vacacioun, from Old French vacacion, vacation, from Latin vacātiō.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with vacation
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of vacation.
Questions about saying vacation
How do you pronounce vacation?
Say vay-KAY-shun. The American pronunciation is /veɪˈkeɪʃən/. In British English it is /veɪˈkeɪʃən/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in vacation?
Vacation has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (KAY). Broken into parts: vay · KAY · shun.
Do Americans and Brits say vacation the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /veɪˈkeɪʃən/ and the British form is /veɪˈkeɪʃən/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.