How to pronounce vice
Say it like VYCE. Vice is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress.
- VYCE
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Vice pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- VYCESay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in time.
American vs British pronunciation of vice
American and British speakers say vice in essentially the same way: /vaɪs/ in the US and /vaɪs/ in the UK.
British respelling: VYCE.
What does vice mean?
- Bad or immoral behaviour. (Especially often, a habit that harms oneself or others)“Pride is a vice, not a virtue.”
- A defect in the temper or behaviour of a horse, such as to make the animal dangerous, to injure its health, or to diminish its usefulness.
- Alternative spelling of vise (“mechanical screw apparatus used for clamping”).
- A tool for drawing lead into cames, or flat grooved rods, for casements.
- A winding or spiral staircase.
- Alternative spelling of vise (“to hold or squeeze with a vice”).
Where does vice come from?
From Middle English vice, from Old French vice, from Latin vitium (“fault or blemish”).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Opposite meaning
Words that rhyme with vice
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of vice.
Words that sound like vice
Questions about saying vice
How do you pronounce vice?
Say VYCE. The American pronunciation is /vaɪs/. In British English it is /vaɪs/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in vice?
Vice is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: VYCE.
Do Americans and Brits say vice the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /vaɪs/ and the British form is /vaɪs/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.
What words sound the same as vice?
Vice sounds the same as vise in American English. The spelling and meaning are what tell them apart.