How to pronounce "sneak"

sneak

Sports & Recreation
American
/snik/

Syllable Breakdown

sneak

How natives say sneak

British
/sniːk/

Syllable Breakdown

sneak

How natives say sneak

Pronunciation Guide In American

Pronunciation Steps

  • Start with a soft 's' sound.

  • Move to 'nee' with tongue behind upper teeth.

  • End with a hard 'k' sound.

Common Mistakes

  • snack (s-nack)

  • snake (s-nake)

  • sneeze (s-neez)

Pronunciation Guide In British

Pronunciation Steps

  • Begin with a soft 's' sound.

  • Continue with 'nee' and tongue forward.

  • Finish with a hard 'k' sound.

common mistakes

  • snack (s-nack)

  • snake (s-nake)

  • sneeze (s-neez)

FAQ

Is 'sneak' pronounced with a long 'e'?

Yes, the vowel sound is long, like 'ee' in 'see'.

Why does 'sneak' end with a hard 'k'?

The 'k' sound is made by cutting off the airflow in the back of the mouth.

Does 'sneak' have one syllable or two?

It has only one syllable.

Definition

sneak

To move quietly to avoid being seen or heard.

Word Family

sneaker

/ˈsnikər/

noun

A type of shoe

Example: He wears sneakers.

sneaky

/ˈsnik.i/

adjective

Acting in a secretive way

Example: That was a sneaky move.

sneaking

/ˈsniːk.ɪŋ/

verb

Moving in a stealthy way

Example: He is sneaking around.

Key Pronunciation Differences

Sneak vs. sneaker

- 'sneaker' has an extra syllable.

Sneak vs. sneaky

- 'sneaky' ends with 'ee'.

Sneak vs. sneaking

- 'sneaking' has two syllables.

Pro Tips

Practicing the 'ee' sound

Smile lightly when saying the long 'ee' to get the tongue position right.

Ending with 'k'

Cut the sound off sharply at the end to pronounce the 'k' correctly.

Nearby Words

Test Your Pronunciation On Words That Have Sound Similarities With Sneak

adventure

/ədˈvɛntʃər/

amateur

/ˈæm.ə.tʃɚ/

appeal

/əˈpil/

appreciate

/əˈpriʃiˌeɪt/

athlete

/ˈæθ.liːt/

ball

/bɔl/

basin

/ˈbeɪ.sən/

basket

/ˈbæskɪt/

Other Categories

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