English pronunciation · Words Starting with V
Vacuum Pronunciation
Vacuum is pronounced VA-kyoom, IPA /ˈvækjum/.
VA-kyoom
US /ˈvækjum/ · UK /ˈvækjuːm/
Syllables: VA · kyoom (2 syllables, stress on syllable 1)
noun and verb: A space with no air or matter in it, or the machine that uses suction to clean floors.
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Vacuum in a Sentence
- Sound cannot travel through a vacuum.
- He ran the vacuum over the hall carpet.
- Her resignation left a vacuum at the top of the department.
Common Mispronunciations of Vacuum
Not BA-kyoom
Rest the top teeth on the lower lip for the v. A b shuts the lips completely and loses the buzz, which is why Spanish speakers often land on bacuum.
Not va-KYOOM
Thump VA at the front, which is what keeps the noun from sounding like a command.
Tip: The two u letters make one kyoom, so two beats will do. A slower three-beat VA-kyoo-uhm is also standard.
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