How to pronounce zero
Say it like ZIR-oh. Zero has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (ZIR).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce zero. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- ZIR
- oh
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Zero pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- ZIRSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- ohKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "o" in go.
American vs British pronunciation of zero
- The long o starts further forward in British English, closer to "uh-oo" than the American "oh".
British respelling: ZEER-roh.
Other ways to say zero
Zero also has this pronunciation, usually with a different meaning or use:
- ZEE-roh /ˈziroʊ/
What does zero mean?
- indicating the absence of any or all units under consideration“a zero score”
- having no measurable or otherwise determinable value“the goal is zero population growth”
- indicating an initial point or origin
- a quantity of no importance“it looked like nothing I had ever seen before”“reduced to nil all the work we had done”
- a mathematical element that when added to another number yields the same number
- the point on a scale from which positive or negative numerical quantities can be measured
- adjust (an instrument or device) to zero value
- adjust (as by firing under test conditions) the zero of (a gun)“He zeroed in his rifle at 200 yards”
Words that rhyme with zero
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of zero.
Questions about saying zero
How do you pronounce zero?
Say ZIR-oh. The American pronunciation is /ˈzɪroʊ/. In British English it is /ˈzɪərəʊ/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in zero?
Zero has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (ZIR). Broken into parts: ZIR · oh.
Is zero 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 /ˈzɪərəʊ/ (ZEER-roh).