How to Pronounce Pair

To pronounce "pair", say PAIR — one syllable, IPA /pɛə(ɹ)/. Tap play below to hear it in four English accents, or practice it syllable by syllable.

pair

Tap to hear · American accent

Accent

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Speed

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1

Syllable

4

Letters

/pɛə(ɹ)/

IPA

💡 Tip for remembering “pair”

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

Sounds exactly like: pear, pare — easy to mix up when writing.

What does pair mean?

noun

  1. Two similar or identical things taken together; often followed by of.

    “I couldn't decide which of the pair of designer shirts I preferred, so I bought the pair.”

  2. Two people in a relationship, partnership or friendship.

    “Spouses should make a great pair.”

verb

  1. To group into one or more sets of two.

    “The wedding guests were paired boy/girl and groom's party/bride's party.”

  2. To bring two (animals, notably dogs) together for mating.

Synonyms

pair of spectaclesspectacles

Hear “pair” 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 pair

Practicing rhymes trains the same ending sounds.

despairglaredebonairbaredeclareaffairflarefairwelfareawareairsquare

Related words

twosomedyadduadtwaincoupletdistichcoupledoubleton

Frequently asked questions

How many syllables are in "pair"?▾

"Pair" has one syllable.

What is the IPA transcription of "pair"?▾

The IPA transcription of "pair" is /pɛə(ɹ)/.

What does "pair" mean?▾

Pair: Two similar or identical things taken together; often followed by of.

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