How to Pronounce Essay

To pronounce "essay", say ESS-ay — 2 syllables, IPA /ˈɛˌseɪ/. Tap play below to hear it in four English accents, or practice it syllable by syllable.

essay

Tap to hear · American accent

Accent

If an accent sounds the same, your device is missing that voice — it falls back to the closest one.

Speed

Syllable by syllable — tap each one

Practice: Record & Compare

Record yourself saying essay, then compare with the target. Your audio stays on this device — nothing is uploaded.

2

Syllables

5

Letters

/ˈɛˌseɪ/

IPA

💡 Tip for remembering “essay”

"essay" has 2 syllables: ess-ay. It rhymes with convey and display, if that helps it stick.

What does essay mean?

noun

  1. (authorship) A written composition of moderate length, exploring a particular issue or subject.
  2. A test, experiment; an assay.

Hear “essay” 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 essay

Practicing rhymes trains the same ending sounds.

conveydisplaydismaysobriquetdisarrayallaygaydecayplayportraycachefray

Related words

examineprovetestseekassayattempttrystudy

Frequently asked questions

How many syllables are in "essay"?▾

"Essay" has 2 syllables: ess · ay.

What is the IPA transcription of "essay"?▾

The IPA transcription of "essay" is /ˈɛˌseɪ/.

What does "essay" mean?▾

Essay: (authorship) A written composition of moderate length, exploring a particular issue or subject.

Want the definition, translations into 8 languages, and read-aloud for full sentences?

Open “essay” in the full dictionary →