How to Pronounce Optional

To pronounce "optional", say OPT-ion-al — 3 syllables. Tap play below to hear it in four English accents, or practice it syllable by syllable.

optional

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Accent

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Speed

Syllable by syllable — tap each one

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3

Syllables

8

Letters

OPT-ion-al

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💡 Tip for remembering “optional”

"optional" has 3 syllables: opt-ion-al.

What does optional mean?

noun

  1. Something that is not compulsory, especially part of an academic course.
  2. (sometimes capitalized) In various programming languages, a kind of variable that is assigned a specific data type but may or may not hold an actual value.

adjective

  1. Not compulsory; left to personal choice; elective.

    “On that beach clothing is entirely optional.”

Synonyms

facultative

Antonyms

compulsorymandatoryobligatory

Hear “optional” in real sentences

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

Related words

electivefacultativenonobligatorynonmandatorychoiceoptionselectiveopt

Frequently asked questions

How many syllables are in "optional"?▾

"Optional" has 3 syllables: opt · ion · al.

What does "optional" mean?▾

Optional: Something that is not compulsory, especially part of an academic course.

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