How to pronounce various
Say it like VER-ee-us. Various has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (VER).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce various. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- VER
- ee
- us
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Various pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- VERSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
- eeKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
- usKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of various
American and British speakers say various in essentially the same way: /ˈvɛriəs/ in the US and /ˈvɛəriəs/ in the UK.
British respelling: VAIR-ree-us.
What does various mean?
- of many different kinds purposefully arranged but lacking any uniformity“assorted sizes”“his disguises are many and various”
- considered individually“the respective club members”“specialists in their several fields”
- distinctly dissimilar or unlike“celebrities as diverse as Bob Hope and Bob Dylan”“animals as various as the jaguar and the cavy and the sloth”
Where does various come from?
Borrowed from Middle French varieux, from Latin varius (“manifold, diverse, various, parti-colored, variegated, also changing, changeable, fickle, etc.”).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with various
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of various.
Questions about saying various
How do you pronounce various?
Say VER-ee-us. The American pronunciation is /ˈvɛriəs/. In British English it is /ˈvɛəriəs/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in various?
Various has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (VER). Broken into parts: VER · ee · us.
Do Americans and Brits say various the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈvɛriəs/ and the British form is /ˈvɛəriəs/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.