How to pronounce whereabouts
Say it like WER-uh-bowts. Whereabouts has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (WER).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce whereabouts. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- WER
- uh
- bowts
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Whereabouts pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- WERSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
- uhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- bowtsGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "ow" in now.
American vs British pronunciation of whereabouts
American and British speakers say whereabouts in essentially the same way: /ˈwɛrəˌbaʊts/ in the US and /ˈwɛərəˌbaʊts/ in the UK.
British respelling: WAIR-ruh-bowts.
What does whereabouts mean?
- the general location where something is“I questioned him about his whereabouts on the night of the crime”
Where does whereabouts come from?
From Middle English wheraboutes, equivalent to whereabout + -s (adverbial suffix).
Words that rhyme with whereabouts
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of whereabouts.
Questions about saying whereabouts
How do you pronounce whereabouts?
Say WER-uh-bowts. The American pronunciation is /ˈwɛrəˌbaʊts/. In British English it is /ˈwɛərəˌbaʊts/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in whereabouts?
Whereabouts has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (WER). Broken into parts: WER · uh · bowts.
Do Americans and Brits say whereabouts the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈwɛrəˌbaʊts/ and the British form is /ˈwɛərəˌbaʊts/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.