How to pronounce wish
Say it like WISH. Wish 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 wish. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- WISH
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Wish pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- WISHSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
American vs British pronunciation of wish
American and British speakers say wish in essentially the same way: /wɪʃ/ in the US and /wɪʃ/ in the UK.
British respelling: WISH.
What does wish mean?
- hope for; have a wish“I wish I could go home now”
- prefer or wish to do something“Do you care to try this dish?”“Would you like to come along to the movies?”
- make or express a wish“I wish that Christmas were over”
- a specific feeling of desire“he got his wish”“he was above all wishing and desire”
- an expression of some desire or inclination“I could tell that it was his wish that the guests leave”“his crying was an indirect request for attention”
- (usually plural) a polite expression of desire for someone's welfare“give him my kind regards”“my best wishes”
Similar and opposite words
Opposite meaning
Words that rhyme with wish
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of wish.
Questions about saying wish
How do you pronounce wish?
Say WISH. The American pronunciation is /wɪʃ/. In British English it is /wɪʃ/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in wish?
Wish is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: WISH.
Do Americans and Brits say wish the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /wɪʃ/ and the British form is /wɪʃ/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.