Pronunciation

How to pronounce “step

“step” is pronounced /stɛp/ (STEP) — one syllable.
The sound

Say “step” in one beat

Say it like this

step

/stɛp/

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

1 beat
  1. stepstɛp
IPA (American)
/stɛp/
IPA (British)
/stɛp/
Respelling
STEP
Syllables
1 — step
Stress
One syllable, so the whole word carries the beat — say /stɛp/ 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 “step” means

  1. noun

    any maneuver made as part of progress toward a goal

    the situation called for strong measures

  2. noun

    the distance covered by a step

    he stepped off ten paces from the old tree and began to dig

  3. noun

    the act of changing location by raising the foot and setting it down

    he walked with unsteady steps

Say it in a sentence

She took a careful step onto the icy path.
Sound by sound

The sounds inside this word

4 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

step”, answered

How do you pronounce “step”?

“step” is pronounced /stɛp/ (STEP) — one syllable. It is one unbroken piece — /stɛp/ — with no pause anywhere inside it.

How many syllables does “step” have?

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

What does “step” mean?

As a noun: any maneuver made as part of progress toward a goal For example: “the situation called for strong measures” It carries 2 other senses as well — all of them said the same way.

Where is the stress in “step”?

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

Practise this word

Now say “step” 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.