How to pronounce wear
Say it like WAIR. Wear 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 wear. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- WAIR
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Wear pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- WAIRSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
American vs British pronunciation of wear
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: WAIR.
What does wear mean?
- be dressed in“She was wearing yellow that day”
- have on one's person“He wore a red ribbon”“bear a scar”
- have in one's aspect; wear an expression of one's attitude or personality“He always wears a smile”
- impairment resulting from long use“the tires showed uneven wear”
- a covering designed to be worn on a person's body
- the act of having on your person as a covering or adornment“she bought it for everyday wear”
Where does wear come from?
Originally a weak verb (i.e.
Words that rhyme with wear
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of wear.
Words that sound like wear
Questions about saying wear
How do you pronounce wear?
Say WAIR. The American pronunciation is /wɛr/. In British English it is /wɛə/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in wear?
Wear is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: WAIR.
Is wear pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead. The British form is /wɛə/ (WAIR).
What words sound the same as wear?
Wear sounds the same as ware, where in American English. The spelling and meaning are what tell them apart.