How to pronounce wash
Say it like WAHSH. Wash 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 wash. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- WAHSH
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Wash pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- WAHSHSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ah" in father.
American vs British pronunciation of wash
- The short o is rounded in British English (as in "hot"), but open and unrounded in American English.
British respelling: WOSH.
What does wash mean?
- clean with some chemical process
- cleanse (one's body) with soap and water
- cleanse with a cleaning agent, such as soap, and water“Wash the towels, please!”
- a thin coat of water-base paint
- the work of cleansing (usually with soap and water)
- the dry bed of an intermittent stream (as at the bottom of a canyon)
Where does wash come from?
The noun is cognate with Saterland Frisian Waaske (“wash”), West Frisian wask (“wash”), Dutch was (“wash”), Low German Wask, Waske (“wash”), German Wäsche (“wash”), Danish, Norwegian, and Swedish vask (“wash”).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with wash
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of wash.
Questions about saying wash
How do you pronounce wash?
Say WAHSH. The American pronunciation is /wɑʃ/. In British English it is /wɒʃ/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in wash?
Wash is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: WAHSH.
Is wash 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 /wɒʃ/ (WOSH).