How to Pronounce Old

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

old

Tap to hear · American accent

Accent

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Speed

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Syllable

Letters

/ˈɒʊld/

IPA

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

Sounds exactly like: olde — easy to mix up when writing.

noun

(with the, invariable plural only) People who are old; old beings; the older generation, taken as a group.
“A civilised society should always look after the old in the community.”
(in combination) One of a specified age.
“when he was an eight-year-old ; a 62-year-old should”

adjective

Of an object, concept, relationship, etc., having existed for a relatively long period of time.
“an old abandoned building; an old friend”
Having been used and thus no longer new or unused.
“I find that an old toothbrush is good to clean the keyboard with.”

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

Practicing rhymes trains the same ending sounds.

How many syllables are in "old"?▾

"Old" has one syllable.

What is the IPA transcription of "old"?▾

The IPA transcription of "old" is /ˈɒʊld/.

What does "old" mean?▾

Old: (with the, invariable plural only) People who are old; old beings; the older generation, taken as a group.

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