How to pronounce “slough”
Slough is pronounced /ˈslʌf/. 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 “slough”
✗ Often said: /ˈslaʊɡh/ — the spelling, read straight off the page.
✓ Actually: /ˈslʌf/
Why the two come apart: at least one vowel does not say what its spelling suggests — English vowel letters are not reliable here; also, a consonant letter takes an unexpected sound value here, so reading it "as written" comes out wrong.
This is why reading English aloud from spelling alone goes wrong so often: the letters of “slough” are not a reliable map of its sounds. The IPA is — each symbol stands for exactly one sound, every time.
“slough” sound by sound
“slough” is built out of 4 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.
-
sHold the tongue tip near (not touching) the ridge behind the upper teeth and force a narrow stream of air down the groove of the tongue.
-
lTouch the tongue tip to the ridge behind the upper teeth and let the voiced air flow around the sides of the tongue.
-
ʌKeep the tongue central and slightly low with a relaxed, neutral mouth — like a stressed, fuller version of the schwa.
-
fRest the upper teeth lightly on the lower lip and push air through the gap without voicing.
Words that rhyme with “slough”
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 “slough”
Each of these differs from “slough” 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 “slough”
- How do you pronounce “slough”?
- “slough” is pronounced /ˈslʌf/. Press the US or UK button above to hear it spoken.
- How many syllables are in “slough”?
- “slough” has 1 syllable. The stress pattern is O.
- What is the common mispronunciation of “slough”?
- People read it off the spelling as /ˈslaʊɡh/, but it is actually /ˈslʌf/, because at least one vowel does not say what its spelling suggests — English vowel letters are not reliable here.
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.