How to pronounce wax
Say it like WAKS. Wax 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 wax. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- WAKS
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Wax pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- WAKSSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "a" in cat.
American vs British pronunciation of wax
American and British speakers say wax in essentially the same way: /wæks/ in the US and /wæks/ in the UK.
British respelling: WAKS.
What does wax mean?
- cover with wax“wax the car”
- go up or advance“Sales were climbing after prices were lowered”
- increase in phase“the moon is waxing”
- any of various substances of either mineral origin or plant or animal origin; they are solid at normal temperatures and insoluble in water
Where does wax come from?
Cognate with Saterland Frisian Woaks (“wax”), West Frisian waaks (“wax”), Dutch was (“wax”), German Wachs (“wax”), German Low German Wass (“wax”), Luxembourgish Wuess (“wax”), Vilamovian wāhs (“wax”), Danish, Norwegian Bokmål, Norwegian Nyn
Similar and opposite words
Opposite meaning
Words that rhyme with wax
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of wax.
Questions about saying wax
How do you pronounce wax?
Say WAKS. The American pronunciation is /wæks/. In British English it is /wæks/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in wax?
Wax is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: WAKS.
Do Americans and Brits say wax the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /wæks/ and the British form is /wæks/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.