Pronunciation

How to pronounce “highest

“highest” is pronounced /ˈhaɪəst/ (HY-uhst) in American English and /haɪɪst/ in British English — 2 syllables, stressed on “hig”.
The sound

Say “highest” in 2 beats

Say it like this

highest

/ˈhaɪəst/

The voice you hear here is American; the British form is /haɪɪst/ (see the table below), and a British voice is available in the app's settings.

2 beats
  1. highaɪstress
  2. hestəst
IPA (American)
/ˈhaɪəst/
IPA (British)
/haɪɪst/
Respelling
HY-uhst
Syllables
2 — HIG-hest
Stress
Stress the first syllable: HIG-hest. “hig” is longer, louder and a step higher; the other syllable falls away from it.
Part of speech
adjective
Difficulty
Beginner — most learners get this on the first take
Accents

American and British are not the same here

American

/ˈhaɪəst/

British

/haɪɪst/

No audio here: sayit’s voice is American, so a British button would play the American word. Read the transcription instead.

Meaning

What “highest” means

  1. adjective

    greater than normal in degree or intensity or amount

    a high temperature

  2. adjective

    (literal meaning) being at or having a relatively great or specific elevation or upward extension (sometimes used in combinations like `knee-high')

    a high mountain

  3. adjective

    standing above others in quality or position

    people in high places

Say it in a sentence

The hikers reached the highest point of the trail by noon.
Sound by sound

The sounds inside this word

5 sounds, in the order you say them

Each sound has its own page: where the tongue goes, what it is usually confused with, and words to drill it on.

Questions

highest”, answered

How do you pronounce “highest”?

“highest” is pronounced /ˈhaɪəst/ (HY-uhst) in American English and /haɪɪst/ in British English — 2 syllables, stressed on “hig”. Build it as HIG-hest, then run the first syllable a little longer than the rest and let the others reduce.

How many syllables does “highest” have?

2: hig · hest. The beat lands on the first, “hig”.

Is “highest” said differently in British English?

Yes. American English says /ˈhaɪəst/ (HY-uhst); British English says /haɪɪst/. Both are correct — choose the accent you are learning and stay inside it.

What does “highest” mean?

As an adjective: greater than normal in degree or intensity or amount For example: “a high temperature” It carries 2 other senses as well — all of them said the same way.

Where is the stress in “highest”?

Stress the first syllable: HIG-hest. “hig” is longer, louder and a step higher; the other syllable falls away from it.

Practise this word

Now say “highest” and see every sound

Record it once and sayit lines your audio up against the target sound by sound — what landed, what slipped, and what it sounded like instead.