How to pronounce violate
Say it like VY-uh-layt. Violate has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (VY).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce violate. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- VY
- uh
- layt
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Violate pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- VYSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in time.
- uhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- laytKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ay" in day.
American vs British pronunciation of violate
American and British speakers say violate in essentially the same way: /ˈvaɪəleɪt/ in the US and /ˈvaɪəleɪt/ in the UK.
British respelling: VY-uh-layt.
What does violate mean?
- fail to agree with; be in violation of; as of rules or patterns“This sentence violates the rules of syntax”
- act in disregard of laws, rules, contracts, or promises“offend all laws of humanity”“violate the basic laws or human civilization”
- destroy“Don't violate my garden”“violate my privacy”
Where does violate come from?
From Middle English violaten (“to defile, render impure”), from violat(e) (“defiled, desecrated”, also used as the past participle of violaten) + -en, borrowed from Latin violātus, perfect passive participle of violō (“to treat with violenc
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with violate
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of violate.
Questions about saying violate
How do you pronounce violate?
Say VY-uh-layt. The American pronunciation is /ˈvaɪəleɪt/. In British English it is /ˈvaɪəleɪt/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in violate?
Violate has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (VY). Broken into parts: VY · uh · layt.
Do Americans and Brits say violate the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈvaɪəleɪt/ and the British form is /ˈvaɪəleɪt/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.