Pronunciation

How to pronounce “object

“object” has two pronunciations: /ˈɑbdʒɛkt/ as a noun and /əbˈdʒɛkt/ as a verb — the part of speech decides which. The spelling never changes; the beat does, and the vowels reshape around wherever it lands. The transcription and syllable breakdown below describe the noun form.
Two pronunciations

object” is said two ways

As a noun

/ˈɑbdʒɛkt/

AHB-jekt

A thing, or the aim of something. Beat on the first syllable.

As a verb

/əbˈdʒɛkt/

uhb-JEKT

To say no, to protest. Beat on JEKT; the first syllable drops to a schwa.

Listen for the beat, not the letters

One syllable gets longer, louder and a step higher, and the other one collapses towards a schwa. Say the whole sentence rather than the word on its own and let the grammar pull the beat where it belongs.Both forms live in one sentence here: “If you object, say so before the object goes to auction.

Each button plays a short phrase rather than the bare word: the model voice takes its stress from the words around it, so asking it for “object” on its own would play one reading twice instead of the noun and the verb. Read the transcription as you listen.

The sound

Say “object” in 2 beats

Say it like this — as a noun

object

/ˈɑbdʒɛkt/

Everything in this card describes the noun form. As a verb it is /əbˈdʒɛkt/.

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

2 beats
  1. obɑbstress
  2. jectdʒɛkt
IPA (American)
/ˈɑbdʒɛkt/
IPA (British)
/ˈɒbdʒɛkt/
Respelling
AHB-jekt (noun) · uhb-JEKT (verb)
Syllables
2 — OB-ject
Stress
Stress the first syllable: OB-ject. “ob” 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
Accents

American and British are not the same here

This is the noun form in two accents — a separate question from the two pronunciations above, which are the same accent saying two different words.

American

/ˈɑbdʒɛkt/

British

/ˈɒbdʒɛkt/

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

Watch out

Where “object” goes wrong

  • Often heard

    AHB-jekt, your honour

    objecting is the verb — uhb-JEKT, stress on the second syllable

Meaning

What “object” means

  1. noun

    a tangible and visible entity; an entity that can cast a shadow

    it was full of rackets, balls and other objects

  2. noun

    the goal intended to be attained (and which is believed to be attainable)

    the sole object of her trip was to see her children

  3. noun

    (grammar) a constituent that is acted upon

    the object of the verb

Say it in a sentence

If you object, say so before the object goes to auction.
Sound by sound

The sounds inside this word

6 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

object”, answered

How do you pronounce “object”?

“object” has two pronunciations: /ˈɑbdʒɛkt/ as a noun and /əbˈdʒɛkt/ as a verb — the part of speech decides which. The spelling never changes; the beat does, and the vowels reshape around wherever it lands. The transcription and syllable breakdown below describe the noun form. Build it as OB-ject, then run the first syllable a little longer than the rest and let the others reduce.

How many syllables does “object” have?

2: ob · ject. The beat lands on the first, “ob”.

Which pronunciation of “object” is correct?

Both are. /ˈɑbdʒɛkt/ (AHB-jekt) as a noun; /əbˈdʒɛkt/ (uhb-JEKT) as a verb. Nothing about the spelling tells you which — the sentence does. Move the beat and the word changes its job mid-sentence, which is why both are worth drilling. Both appear here: “If you object, say so before the object goes to auction.”

Is “object” said differently in British English?

Yes. American English says /ˈɑbdʒɛkt/ (AHB-jekt); British English says /ˈɒbdʒɛkt/. Both are correct — choose the accent you are learning and stay inside it.

What does “object” mean?

As a noun: a tangible and visible entity; an entity that can cast a shadow For example: “it was full of rackets, balls and other objects” It carries 2 other senses as well — all of them said the same way.

Where is the stress in “object”?

Stress the first syllable: OB-ject. “ob” is longer, louder and a step higher; the other syllable falls away from it.

Practise this word

Now say “object” 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.