Pronunciation

How to pronounce “sex

“sex” is pronounced /sɛks/ (SEKS) — one syllable.
The sound

Say “sex” in one beat

Say it like this

sex

/sɛks/

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

1 beat
  1. sexsɛks
IPA (American)
/sɛks/
IPA (British)
/sɛks/
Respelling
SEKS
Syllables
1 — sex
Stress
One syllable, so the whole word carries the beat — say /sɛks/ in one unbroken piece rather than clipping the vowel.
Part of speech
noun, verb
Difficulty
Beginner — most learners get this on the first take
Meaning

What “sex” means

  1. noun

    activities associated with sexual intercourse

    they had sex in the back seat

  2. noun

    either of the two categories (male or female) into which most organisms are divided

    the war between the sexes

  3. noun

    all of the feelings resulting from the urge to gratify sexual impulses

    he wanted a better sex life

Say it in a sentence

The form asks for your name, age and sex.
Sound by sound

The sounds inside this word

3 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

sex”, answered

How do you pronounce “sex”?

“sex” is pronounced /sɛks/ (SEKS) — one syllable. It is one unbroken piece — /sɛks/ — with no pause anywhere inside it.

How many syllables does “sex” have?

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

What does “sex” mean?

As a noun: activities associated with sexual intercourse For example: “they had sex in the back seat” It carries 2 other senses as well — all of them said the same way.

Where is the stress in “sex”?

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

Practise this word

Now say “sex” and see every sound

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