How to pronounce thorough
thorough
/ˈθɜːəʊ/
2 syllables, stress on the first
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There is a second pronunciation: /ˈθɔːrəʊ/.
What to watch for
-ough- has no single reading in English: though /ðəʊ/, through /θruː/, tough /tʌf/, thought /θɔːt/. It has to be learned word by word.
th is the voiceless /θ/ here, as in “think”.
Thorough, sound by sound
| /θ/as in think | Tongue tip between the teeth, breathe out with no voice. It is not S, F or T. |
| /ɜː/as in bird | Lips relaxed, tongue in the middle of the mouth. Keep one steady sound. |
| /əʊ/as in go | Glide from “o” to “oo”. Not a single flat “o”. |
In a sentence
He made a thorough analysis of the problem.
More words with the /θ/ sound
- fatima/ˈfæθɪmə/
- goethe/gəʊθ/
- scythe/sɪθ/
- through/θruː/
- lymphadenopathy/lɪmfəˈdenəpæθi/
- ethereal/ɪˈθɪriːəl/
- atherosclerosis/æθərəʊsklərˈəʊsɪs/
- ianthe/iːˈɑːnθeɪ/
- months/mʌnθs/
- sloth/sləʊθ/
Questions and answers
How do you pronounce thorough?
Thorough is pronounced /ˈθɜːəʊ/ in American English. A second pronunciation, /ˈθɔːrəʊ/, is also used.
How many syllables are in thorough?
Thorough has 2 syllables.
Which syllable is stressed in thorough?
The first syllable: /ˈθɜːəʊ/.
Is there a silent or unusual letter in thorough?
-ough- has no single reading in English: though /ðəʊ/, through /θruː/, tough /tʌf/, thought /θɔːt/. It has to be learned word by word.