How to pronounce “noise”
Noise is pronounced /ˈnɔɪz/. 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 “noise”
✗ Often said: /ˈnɑːaɪs/ — the spelling, read straight off the page.
✓ Actually: /ˈnɔɪz/
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, 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 “noise” are not a reliable map of its sounds. The IPA is — each symbol stands for exactly one sound, every time.
“noise” sound by sound
“noise” 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.
-
nTouch the tongue tip to the ridge behind the upper teeth, lower the soft palate, and voice the air out through the nose.
-
ɔɪBegin with rounded lips at /ɔː/ and glide forward and upward to /ɪ/, unrounding the lips as you move.
-
zExactly the /s/ tongue position with voicing added, so the airflow buzzes.
Silent letters in “noise”
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.
Minimal pairs — words one sound away from “noise”
Each of these differs from “noise” 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 “noise”
- How do you pronounce “noise”?
- “noise” is pronounced /ˈnɔɪz/. Press the US or UK button above to hear it spoken.
- How many syllables are in “noise”?
- “noise” has 1 syllable. The stress pattern is O.
- What is the common mispronunciation of “noise”?
- People read it off the spelling as /ˈnɑːaɪs/, but it is actually /ˈnɔɪz/, because the silent final “e” (it lengthens the vowel instead) is not pronounced, even though the spelling begs you to say it.
- Does “noise” have any silent letters?
- Yes — silent final “e” (it lengthens the vowel instead).
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.