How to pronounce “height”
Height is pronounced /ˈhaɪt/. It has 1 syllable. 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 1 beat. It is a single beat — one vowel, said in one push of breath.
Stress pattern O — capital letters mark the stressed beats.
The common mispronunciation of “height”
✗ Often said: /ˈheaɪt/ — the spelling, read straight off the page.
✓ Actually: /ˈhaɪt/
Why the two come apart: the silent “gh” is not pronounced, even though the spelling begs you to say it; 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 “height” are not a reliable map of its sounds. The IPA is — each symbol stands for exactly one sound, every time.
“height” sound by sound
“height” is built out of 3 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.
-
hSimply breathe out through an open, relaxed mouth already shaped for the following vowel — there is no tongue or lip contact at all.
-
aɪStart with the mouth open at an /a/-like position and glide up toward /ɪ/, closing the jaw as you go.
-
tTouch the tongue tip to the bumpy ridge just behind the upper teeth, block the air, then release it with a puff.
Silent letters in “height”
Letters you write but never say — this is the single biggest reason the word trips people up:
- ghThe letter “gh”Silent “gh” — write it, but do not let it reach your mouth.
Words that rhyme with “height”
Same ending sound from the stressed vowel on — a good way to hear whether you have the vowel right:
Minimal pairs — words one sound away from “height”
Each of these differs from “height” by exactly one sound. If you can say both of a pair and hear the difference, that sound is under control:
Questions people ask about “height”
- How do you pronounce “height”?
- “height” is pronounced /ˈhaɪt/. Press the US or UK button above to hear it spoken.
- How many syllables are in “height”?
- “height” has 1 syllable. The stress pattern is O.
- What is the common mispronunciation of “height”?
- People read it off the spelling as /ˈheaɪt/, but it is actually /ˈhaɪt/, because the silent “gh” is not pronounced, even though the spelling begs you to say it.
- Does “height” have any silent letters?
- Yes — silent “gh”.
Stop looking words up one at a time
You just looked up one word. PHONO puts the IPA above every word of whatever you are reading — in your browser, in a PDF, in any app — the moment you select it. An offline pronunciation dictionary, US and UK audio, one hotkey.