How to pronounce vacuous
Say it like VAK-yoo-us. Vacuous has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (VAK).
- VAK
- yoo
- us
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Vacuous pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- VAKSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "a" in cat.
- yooKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "oo" in food.
- usKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of vacuous
American and British speakers say vacuous in essentially the same way: /ˈvækjuəs/ in the US and /ˈvækjuəs/ in the UK.
British respelling: VAK-yoo-us.
What does vacuous mean?
- Empty; void; lacking meaningful content.“vacuous expression”
- Showing a lack of thought or intelligence; vacant.
Where does vacuous come from?
Learned borrowing from Latin vacuus (“empty, vacant”) + -ous.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Questions about saying vacuous
How do you pronounce vacuous?
Say VAK-yoo-us. The American pronunciation is /ˈvækjuəs/. In British English it is /ˈvækjuəs/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in vacuous?
Vacuous has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (VAK). Broken into parts: VAK · yoo · us.
Do Americans and Brits say vacuous the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈvækjuəs/ and the British form is /ˈvækjuəs/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.