How do you pronounce "despair"?

In American English: /dɪˈspɛr/ (di-SPEHR). In British English: /dɪspˈɛə/ (disp-EH-uh). In Canadian English: /dɪˈspɛr/ (di-SPEHR). In Australian English: /dɪspˈeə/ (disp-EH-uh).

Is "despair" pronounced differently in American and British English?

Yes. In American English it's pronounced /dɪˈspɛr/ (di-SPEHR), while in British English it's /dɪspˈɛə/ (disp-EH-uh).

How to Pronounce "despair"

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despair

regional

/dɪˈspɛr/

di-SPEHR

Syllable Breakdown

dɪde·spɛrspair

Source

90%confidence📘 CMU Pronouncing Dictionary v0.7b

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Last updated: 2026-02-14