How to pronounce “enclose”
Enclose is pronounced /ɪnˈkloʊz/. It has 2 syllables, and the beat falls on the second one — kloʊz. Below: the syllable split, native audio in both accents, the mistake people actually make with this word, and every individual sound in it explained.
Syllables and stress
Split it into 2 beats. The highlighted syllable is the strong one: say it louder, longer and a touch higher in pitch, and let the others fall away. English is a stress-timed language, so getting kloʊz in the right place matters more to a listener than getting every vowel perfect.
Stress pattern oO — capital letters mark the stressed beats.
The common mispronunciation of “enclose”
✗ Often said: /ˈenkloʊs/ — the spelling, read straight off the page.
✓ Actually: /ɪnˈkloʊz/
Why the two come apart: the silent final “e” (it lengthens the vowel instead) is not pronounced, even though the spelling begs you to say it; also, the stress lands on the second syllable (“kloʊz”), not on the first one — putting the beat at the front is the mistake almost everyone makes; also, at least one vowel does not say what its spelling suggests — English vowel letters are not reliable here.
This is why reading English aloud from spelling alone goes wrong so often: the letters of “enclose” are not a reliable map of its sounds. The IPA is — each symbol stands for exactly one sound, every time.
“enclose” sound by sound
“enclose” is built out of 6 sounds. Say each one on its own first, slowly, then run them together at speed. Every sound links to a full guide with mouth position, the mistake learners make with it, and other words that use it.
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ɪRelax the tongue slightly lower and further back than for /iː/, keep the lips neutral, and make it short and lax.
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nTouch the tongue tip to the ridge behind the upper teeth, lower the soft palate, and voice the air out through the nose.
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kRaise the back of the tongue to touch the soft palate, seal the air, then release it with a puff.
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lTouch the tongue tip to the ridge behind the upper teeth and let the voiced air flow around the sides of the tongue.
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oʊStart with mid-back, lightly rounded lips and glide toward /ʊ/, tightening the rounding as you finish.
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zExactly the /s/ tongue position with voicing added, so the airflow buzzes.
Silent letters in “enclose”
Letters you write but never say — this is the single biggest reason the word trips people up:
- eThe letter “e”Silent final “e” (it lengthens the vowel instead) — write it, but do not let it reach your mouth.
Words that rhyme with “enclose”
Same ending sound from the stressed vowel on — a good way to hear whether you have the vowel right:
Questions people ask about “enclose”
- How do you pronounce “enclose”?
- “enclose” is pronounced /ɪnˈkloʊz/, with the stress on the second syllable (kloʊz). Press the US or UK button above to hear it spoken.
- How many syllables are in “enclose”?
- “enclose” has 2 syllables: ɪn · kloʊz. The stress pattern is oO.
- What is the common mispronunciation of “enclose”?
- People read it off the spelling as /ˈenkloʊs/, but it is actually /ɪnˈkloʊz/, because the silent final “e” (it lengthens the vowel instead) is not pronounced, even though the spelling begs you to say it.
- Does “enclose” have any silent letters?
- Yes — silent final “e” (it lengthens the vowel instead).
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