How to Pronounce Previous

To pronounce "previous", say PREV-ious — 2 syllables, IPA /ˈpɹiviəs/. Tap play below to hear it in four English accents, or practice it syllable by syllable.

previous

Tap to hear · American accent

Accent

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Speed

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2

Syllables

8

Letters

/ˈpɹiviəs/

🇺🇸 IPA (US)

/pɹˈiːvɪəs/

🇬🇧 IPA (UK)

💡 Tip for remembering “previous”

"previous" has 2 syllables: prev-ious. It rhymes with devious and nevius, if that helps it stick.

What does previous mean?

noun

  1. An existing criminal record (short for "previous convictions")

    “It turned out the shoplifter had a lot of previous.”

  2. A track record of similar behaviour.

adjective

  1. Prior; occurring before something else, either in time or order.

    “He is no better than the previous Prime Minister.”

  2. Premature; acting or occurring too soon.

Synonyms

formformerlateold

Antonyms

followingfuturenextsucceeding

Hear “previous” 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 previous

Practicing rhymes trains the same ending sounds.

deviousnevius

Related words

precedingearlyprematureformerpastoldlateforegoing

Frequently asked questions

How many syllables are in "previous"?▾

"Previous" has 2 syllables: prev · ious.

What is the IPA transcription of "previous"?▾

The IPA transcription of "previous" is /ˈpɹiviəs/.

What does "previous" mean?▾

Previous: An existing criminal record (short for "previous convictions")

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