How to Pronounce Burn

To pronounce "burn", say BURN — one syllable, IPA /bɜːn/. Tap play below to hear it in four English accents, or practice it syllable by syllable.

burn

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Accent

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Speed

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1

Syllable

4

Letters

/bɜːn/

IPA

💡 Tip for remembering “burn

"burn" is a single-syllable word — say it in one clean beat. It rhymes with discern and taciturn, if that helps it stick.

Sounds exactly like: burne, bern, berne, byrne — easy to mix up when writing.

What does burn mean?

noun

  1. A physical injury caused by heat, cold, electricity, radiation or caustic chemicals.

    She had second-degree burns from falling in the bonfire.

  2. A sensation resembling such an injury.

    chili burn from eating hot peppers

verb

  1. To cause to be consumed by fire.

    He burned his manuscript in the fireplace.

  2. To be consumed by fire, or in flames.

    He watched the house burn.

Hear “burn” in real sentences

Real example sentences from Tatoeba (CC-BY) — tap to hear each one, or see it used on YouGlish.

Words that rhyme with burn

Practicing rhymes trains the same ending sounds.

Related words

Frequently asked questions

How many syllables are in "burn"?

"Burn" has one syllable.

What is the IPA transcription of "burn"?

The IPA transcription of "burn" is /bɜːn/.

What does "burn" mean?

Burn: A physical injury caused by heat, cold, electricity, radiation or caustic chemicals.

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