How to pronounce wan
Say it like WAHN. Wan is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress.
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce wan. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- WAHN
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Wan pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- WAHNSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ah" in father.
American vs British pronunciation of wan
- The short o is rounded in British English (as in "hot"), but open and unrounded in American English.
British respelling: WON.
What does wan mean?
- (of light) lacking in intensity or brightness; dim or feeble“the pale light of a half moon”“a pale sun”
- abnormally deficient in color as suggesting physical or emotional distress“the pallid face of the invalid”“her wan face suddenly flushed”
- lacking vitality as from weariness or illness or unhappiness“a wan smile”
- a computer network that spans a wider area than does a local area network
- become pale and sickly
Where does wan come from?
From Middle English wan, wanne (“gray, leaden; pale gray, ashen; blue-black (like a bruise); dim, faint; dark, gloomy”), from Old English wann (“dark, dusky”), from Proto-Germanic *wannaz (“dark, swart”), of uncertain origin.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with wan
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of wan.
Words that sound like wan
Questions about saying wan
How do you pronounce wan?
Say WAHN. The American pronunciation is /wɑn/. In British English it is /wɒn/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in wan?
Wan is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: WAHN.
Is wan pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. The short o is rounded in British English (as in "hot"), but open and unrounded in American English. The British form is /wɒn/ (WON).
What words sound the same as wan?
Wan sounds the same as won in American English. The spelling and meaning are what tell them apart.