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How to Pronounce “depress”

Free audio in American, British, and Australian English.

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American (US)
/dɪˈpɹɛs/
British (UK)
/dɪˈpɹɛs/

verb — To press down.

Example: Depress the upper lever to start the machine.

Where the stress falls. “depress” has 2 syllables, and the transcription /dɪˈpɹɛs/ puts the primary stress mark (ˈ) before the second one — so the second syllable is the longest and loudest. The others are said quickly and lightly.

What does "depress" mean?

depress (verb): To press down. For example — Depress the upper lever to start the machine.

How do you pronounce "depress" in American vs British English?

Both accents use the same sequence of phonemes for "depress", /dɪˈpɹɛs/, so the difference you hear is in how the vowels are coloured rather than in which sounds are used. Play both on this page to compare.

What is the IPA transcription of "depress"?

/dɪˈpɹɛs/ in American English, /dɪˈpɹɛs/ in British English.

Which syllable is stressed in "depress"?

“depress” has 2 syllables, and the transcription /dɪˈpɹɛs/ puts the primary stress mark (ˈ) before the second one — so the second syllable is the longest and loudest. The others are said quickly and lightly.

Browse the full word index or use the pronunciation tool.