How to pronounce yikes
Say it like YYKS. Yikes 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 yikes. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- YYKS
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Yikes pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- YYKSSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in time.
American vs British pronunciation of yikes
American and British speakers say yikes in essentially the same way: /jaɪks/ in the US and /jaɪks/ in the UK.
British respelling: YYKS.
What does yikes mean?
- Expression of shock and alarm.“Yikes! A monster!”
- Expression of empathy with unpleasant or undesirable circumstances.“John has lost his job and can't pay his mortgage; yikes!”
Where does yikes come from?
Or, possibly a conflation of both of the previous.
Questions about saying yikes
How do you pronounce yikes?
Say YYKS. The American pronunciation is /jaɪks/. In British English it is /jaɪks/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in yikes?
Yikes is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: YYKS.
Do Americans and Brits say yikes the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /jaɪks/ and the British form is /jaɪks/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.