How to Pronounce Thought

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

thought

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Accent

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Speed

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1

Syllable

7

Letters

/ˈθɔt/

🇺🇸 IPA (US)

/θˈɔːt/

🇬🇧 IPA (UK)

💡 Tip for remembering “thought”

"thought" is a single-syllable word — say it in one clean beat.

What does thought mean?

noun

  1. A representation created in the mind without the use of one's faculties of vision, sound, smell, touch, or taste; an instance of thinking.
  2. The operation by which mental activity arise or are manipulated; the process of thinking; the agency by which thinking is accomplished.

verb

  1. simple past and past participle of think

Keep practicing

Related pages on PronounceIt, chosen from what we know about this word.

Train the contrast: three vs tree, think vs sink

Sounds worth drilling for a word spelled like this:

/θ/ — th voiceless/aʊ/ — ow/t/ — t

Thought appears in The "-ough" Problem: One Spelling, Eight Sounds — others from that list:

throughthoughtoughboughcoughenoughhiccough

Read next: 20 Commonly Mispronounced English Words (and How to Say Them)

Frequently asked questions

How do you pronounce "thought"?▾

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

How many syllables are in "thought"?▾

"Thought" has one syllable.

What is the IPA transcription of "thought"?▾

The IPA transcription of "thought" is /ˈθɔt/.

What does "thought" mean?▾

Thought: A representation created in the mind without the use of one's faculties of vision, sound, smell, touch, or taste; an instance of thinking.

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