English pronunciation · Words Starting with D
Desert Pronunciation
Desert is pronounced DE-zert, IPA /ˈdɛzɝt/.
DE-zert
US /ˈdɛzɝt/
Syllables: DE · zert (2 syllables, stress on syllable 1)
noun and verb: As a noun, a very dry region with little plant life; as a verb, to abandon a person or a post.
Audio for the American and British pronunciations plays on this page with JavaScript enabled.
Two Ways to Say Desert
The pronunciation changes with the meaning or the part of speech. The form above is the most common; the others are:
- verb (to desert someone or something): /dɪˈzɝt/ (di-ZURT)
Desert in a Sentence
- The Gobi desert stretches across two countries.
- Nothing grows in that part of the desert.
- Three soldiers chose to desert before the march.
Common Mispronunciations of Desert
Not di-ZURT (for the noun)
The sandy noun opens loud, DE-zert. Shifting the beat to the end gives the verb, to di-ZURT, or else the sweet course, dessert.
Not DE-zert (for the verb)
Abandoning something takes end stress, di-ZURT, which is why the two meanings never collide in speech.
Tip: Dessert, the pudding, has two s letters and end stress, which matches the verb desert exactly.
More words starting with d · Every word in the pronunciation guide