How to pronounce “instance”
Say “instance” in 2 beats
instance
/ˈɪnstəns/
The voice you hear here is American; the British form is /ɪnstəns/ (see the table below), and a British voice is available in the app's settings.
- ɪnɪnstress
- stənsstəns
- IPA (American)
- /ˈɪnstəns/
- IPA (British)
- /ɪnstəns/
- Respelling
- IN-stuhns
- Syllables
- 2 — ꞮN-stəns
- Stress
- Stress the first syllable: ꞮN-stəns. “ɪn” is longer, louder and a step higher; the other syllable falls away from it.
- Part of speech
- noun, verb
- Difficulty
- Beginner — most learners get this on the first take
American and British are not the same here
/ˈɪnstəns/
/ɪnstəns/
No audio here: sayit’s voice is American, so a British button would play the American word. Read the transcription instead.
What “instance” means
- noun
an occurrence of something
“it was a case of bad judgment”
- noun
an item of information that is typical of a class or group
“this patient provides a typical example of the syndrome”
- verb
clarify by giving an example of
Say it in a sentence
“This is the third instance of flooding this winter.”“instance”, answered
How do you pronounce “instance”?
“instance” is pronounced /ˈɪnstəns/ (IN-stuhns) in American English and /ɪnstəns/ in British English — 2 syllables, stressed on “ɪn”. Build it as ꞮN-stəns, then run the first syllable a little longer than the rest and let the others reduce.
How many syllables does “instance” have?
2: ɪn · stəns. The beat lands on the first, “ɪn”.
Is “instance” said differently in British English?
Yes. American English says /ˈɪnstəns/ (IN-stuhns); British English says /ɪnstəns/. Both are correct — choose the accent you are learning and stay inside it.
What does “instance” mean?
As a noun: an occurrence of something For example: “it was a case of bad judgment” It carries 2 other senses as well — all of them said the same way.
Where is the stress in “instance”?
Stress the first syllable: ꞮN-stəns. “ɪn” is longer, louder and a step higher; the other syllable falls away from it.
Now say “instance” 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.