Pronunciation

How to pronounce “next

“next” is pronounced /nɛkst/ (NEKST), and /nɛks/ is also accepted — one syllable.
The sound

Say “next” in one beat

Say it like this

next

/nɛkst/

The voice you hear here is American; a British voice is available in the app's settings.

1 beat
  1. nextnɛkst
IPA (American)
/nɛkst/
IPA (British)
/nɛkst/
Also accepted
/nɛks/
Respelling
NEKST
Syllables
1 — next
Stress
One syllable, so the whole word carries the beat — say /nɛkst/ in one unbroken piece rather than clipping the vowel.
Part of speech
adjective, adverb
Difficulty
Beginner — most learners get this on the first take
Meaning

What “next” means

  1. adjective

    immediately following in time or order

    the following day

  2. adjective

    nearest in space or position; immediately adjoining without intervening space

    had adjacent rooms

  3. adjective

    (of elected officers) elected but not yet serving

    our next president

Say it in a sentence

We are moving to a bigger office next month.
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

next”, answered

How do you pronounce “next”?

“next” is pronounced /nɛkst/ (NEKST), and /nɛks/ is also accepted — one syllable. It is one unbroken piece — /nɛkst/ — with no pause anywhere inside it.

How many syllables does “next” have?

One, despite the 1 vowel letters in the spelling. The whole word is /nɛkst/ — a single beat.

Is “next” /nɛkst/ or /nɛks/?

Both. /nɛkst/ is the form dictionaries list first (NEKST).

What does “next” mean?

As an adjective: immediately following in time or order For example: “the following day” It carries 2 other senses as well — all of them said the same way.

Where is the stress in “next”?

One syllable, so the whole word carries the beat — say /nɛkst/ in one unbroken piece rather than clipping the vowel.

Practise this word

Now say “next” 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.