How to Pronounce Paw

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

paw

Tap to hear · American accent

Accent

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Speed

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1

Syllable

3

Letters

/pɔː/

IPA

💡 Tip for remembering “paw”

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

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

What does paw mean?

noun

  1. The soft foot of a mammal or other animal, generally a quadruped, that has claws or nails; comparable to a human hand or foot.
  2. A hand.

    “Get your grubby paws off my things!”

verb

  1. (of an animal) To go through something (such as a garbage can) with paws.
  2. (of an animal) To gently push on something with a paw.

Synonyms

foothand

Hear “paw” 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 paw

Practicing rhymes trains the same ending sounds.

guffawdrawwithdrawrawflawclawchutzpahlawblahjawgnawstraw

Related words

handmanusmittmaulerhookfootleglimb

Frequently asked questions

How many syllables are in "paw"?▾

"Paw" has one syllable.

What is the IPA transcription of "paw"?▾

The IPA transcription of "paw" is /pɔː/.

What does "paw" mean?▾

Paw: The soft foot of a mammal or other animal, generally a quadruped, that has claws or nails; comparable to a human hand or foot.

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