How to Pronounce “successful”

American (US)

/səkˈsesfəl/

British (UK)

/səkˈsesfəl/

Australian (AU)

/səkˈses.fəl/

adjective — Resulting in success; assuring or promoting success; accomplishing what was proposed; having the desired effect.

Example: a successful use of medicine; a successful experiment; a successful enterprise.

Where the stress falls. “successful” has 3 syllables, and the transcription /səkˈsesfəl/ 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.

An unstressed vowel reduces to schwa. /səkˈsesfəl/ contains a schwa /ə/ — the short, neutral “uh” that English unstressed syllables collapse into. Saying /ə/ there, instead of the vowel the spelling suggests, is most of what makes the word sound native.

What does "successful" mean?

successful (adjective): Resulting in success; assuring or promoting success; accomplishing what was proposed; having the desired effect. For example — a successful use of medicine; a successful experiment; a successful enterprise.

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

Both accents use the same sequence of phonemes for "successful", /səkˈsesfəl/, 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 "successful"?

/səkˈsesfəl/ in American English, /səkˈsesfəl/ in British English, /səkˈses.fəl/ in Australian English.

Which syllable is stressed in "successful"?

“successful” has 3 syllables, and the transcription /səkˈsesfəl/ 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.