How to Pronounce Marathon

To pronounce "marathon", say MAR-ath-on — 3 syllables, IPA /ˈmæɹəθən/. Tap play below to hear it in four English accents, or practice it syllable by syllable.

marathon

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Accent

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Speed

Syllable by syllable — tap each one

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3

Syllables

8

Letters

/ˈmæɹəθən/

IPA

💡 Tip for remembering “marathon”

"marathon" has 3 syllables: mar-ath-on. It rhymes with paragon and liaison, if that helps it stick.

What does marathon mean?

noun

  1. A 42.195 kilometre (26 mile 385 yard) road race.
  2. (by extension) Any extended or sustained activity.

    “He had a cleaning marathon the night before his girlfriend came over.”

verb

  1. To run a marathon.
  2. To watch or read a large number of instalments of (a film, book, TV series, etc.) in one sitting.

    “We're going to marathon Star Trek next weekend.”

Hear “marathon” 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 marathon

Practicing rhymes trains the same ending sounds.

paragonliaisonautomatonfawnlexiconphenomenondrawndenouementdonbygonepylonwithdrawn

Related words

racetournamentrungamecourseouachitaultramarathonslog

Frequently asked questions

How many syllables are in "marathon"?▾

"Marathon" has 3 syllables: mar · ath · on.

What is the IPA transcription of "marathon"?▾

The IPA transcription of "marathon" is /ˈmæɹəθən/.

What does "marathon" mean?▾

Marathon: A 42.195 kilometre (26 mile 385 yard) road race.

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