How to pronounce woebegone
Say it like WOH-bee-gawn. Woebegone has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (WOH).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce woebegone. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- WOH
- bee
- gawn
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Woebegone pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- WOHSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "o" in go.
- beeKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
- gawnGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "aw" in law.
American vs British pronunciation of woebegone
- The long o starts further forward in British English, closer to "uh-oo" than the American "oh".
British respelling: WOH-bih-gon.
What does woebegone mean?
- Of a person: deeply affected or overwhelmed by suffering or trouble, and so filled with woe (“great distress or sadness”); (loosely) forlorn, sad, unhappy.
- Of a person or thing: having a distressed, miserable, or sad appearance.
- Of a thing: in a deplorable state.
- A person who is deeply affected or overwhelmed by suffering or trouble, and so filled with woe.
Where does woebegone come from?
Noun sense 1 (“person who is deeply affected or overwhelmed by suffering or trouble, and so filled with woe”) became obsolete after the 14th or 15th century, and was only revived in the 19th century.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Questions about saying woebegone
How do you pronounce woebegone?
Say WOH-bee-gawn. The American pronunciation is /ˈwoʊbiˌɡɔn/. In British English it is /ˈwəʊbɪɡɒn/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in woebegone?
Woebegone has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (WOH). Broken into parts: WOH · bee · gawn.
Is woebegone pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. The long o starts further forward in British English, closer to "uh-oo" than the American "oh". The British form is /ˈwəʊbɪɡɒn/ (WOH-bih-gon).