How to pronounce "slough" in EnglishNoun
slaʊ
SLOW
Primary stress: SLOW
Hear native speakers say slough in context across real video clips
Linguistic Pronunciation Masterclass: “slough”
Phonetic mechanics, syllable architecture, and conversational cadence
Syllable Architecture & Stress Distribution
SLOW
Gliding diphthong with sustained vocal resonance.
As a single-syllable word, "slough" receives full primary stress when spoken in isolation, though it may take a reduced weak form in connected speech when acting as a function word.
Common Pronunciation Traps & Learner Mistakes
The Trap: Single-syllable words like "slough" carry primary acoustic prominence in isolation, but can be swallowed in rapid connected speech.
How Native Speakers Say It: Sustain vowel clarity without rushing into the trailing consonant. Elevate pitch slightly when "slough" carries the primary contrast or new information in a sentence.
Connected Speech & Natural Conversational Flow
When "slough" is followed by a word starting with a vowel, glide the final consonant into the opening vowel (e.g. "slough is" sounds like "slough-iz").
In natural sentences, avoid over-stressing "slough" unless it conveys the core contrast or focal point of your message.
Authentic Spoken Quotes from Native Video Context
“Slough then it is the outer layer of skin on a snake it is also the verb of”— Rachel's EnglishWatch clip
“how did we get here and did we decide to or else what flood of slough drowned us”— Harvard UniversityWatch clip
“casts off his years as a snake his Slough and at what periods so ever of”— StanfordWatch clip
“the discovery of a mid 10th century grave in Freya slough Denmark enthralled”— Smithsonian ChannelWatch clip
“Willamette Falls to the Columbia Slough.”— TEDx TalksWatch clip
“Haste to the mountain to strip you of the slough that allows not God to be manifest to you."”— YaleCoursesWatch clip
Practice Speaking “slough”
Listen to native pronunciation, record yourself repeating the sentence into your microphone, and receive real-time word-by-word accuracy scoring.
Slough then it is the outer layer of skin on a snake it is also the verb of
Hear it in context: “slough”
24 clipsThe English word “slough” is transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) as slaʊ (phonetic respelling: SLOW). Phonologically, it consists of 1 syllable (SLOW), pronounced as a single stressed monosyllable. Grammatically, “slough” functions as a noun, verb and acts as an English heteronym where syllable stress shifts between noun (initial-syllable stress) and verb (second-syllable stress) usage. SayItVid indexes 24 authentic English video clips demonstrating how native speakers articulate “slough” in natural connected speech across American (US: 8 sampled), British (UK), and Australian (AUS) accents, including verified broadcasts from Rachel's English, Harvard University, Stanford.
Spoken Video Transcripts & Contextual Quotes (5 Verified Clips)
- 🇺🇸 USRachel's EnglishClip #1 · @4:20
“when it is pronounced with the uh as in butter with the f unvoiced f sound Slough then it is the outer layer of skin on a snake it is also the verb of when the snake gets rid of that outer layer”
- 🇺🇸 USHarvard UniversityClip #2 · @15:56
“about making art and telling the truth why this engineered Apple tastes doll how did we get here and did we decide to or else what flood of slough drowned us where we stood meant to make the stitches more overt patches and their”
- 🇺🇸 USStanfordClip #3 · @84:37
“perfect exhilaration I am glad to the brink of fear in the woods to a man casts off his years as a snake his Slough and at what periods so ever of life is always a child in the woods is perpetual youth I quote that as an”
- 🇺🇸 USSmithsonian ChannelClip #4 · @0:00
“the discovery of a mid 10th century grave in Freya slough Denmark enthralled grave in Freya slough Denmark enthralled”
- 🇺🇸 USTEDx TalksClip #5 · @21:09
“waterfront access, walkways connecting Willamette Falls to the Columbia Slough. We want to feel our wealth. We want to”
Definition & Meaning: “slough”
- The skin shed by a snake or other reptile.
- Dead skin on a sore or ulcer.
- To shed skin or outer layers.
- To slide off or flake off, as an outer layer, such as skin, might do.
Example Sentences (3)
- “That is the slough of a rattler; we must be careful.”
- “This is the slough that came off of his skin after the burn.”
- “Slough then it is the outer layer of skin on a snake it is also the verb of”
Common Phrases & Collocations
Pronounce: “slough”
- Pronunciation:
- SLOW
- Syllables:
- SLOW
- Written Hyphenation:
- slough
- Primary stress:
- SLOW
- IPA:
- slaʊ
- Hear it in context
- slough
Words that Rhyme with “slough”
-aʊWords that Sound Identical (Homophones)
Unique Sound"slough" (⁄slaʊ⁄) has no true homophones in standard English — there are no other words with identical pronunciation. Unlike sound-alike pairs like there / their or peace / piece, "slough" has a completely distinct phonetic identity.
Frequently asked questions about slough
How do you pronounce “slough”?
“slough” is pronounced ⁄slaʊ⁄ (SLOW). Listen to the native-speaker clips above to hear it in real conversation.
Where is the stress in “slough”?
The primary stress in “slough” is on “SLOW”. Listen for that stressed syllable in the clips above.
What does “slough” mean?
The skin shed by a snake or other reptile.
How can I hear “slough” used in real sentences?
This page has 24 real-world video examples of “slough” with synchronized subtitles. Use Previous / Next (or ← / → keys) to hear each one at the exact moment it is spoken.
What is the most common pronunciation mistake when saying “slough”?
Single-syllable words like "slough" carry primary acoustic prominence in isolation, but can be swallowed in rapid connected speech. Sustain vowel clarity without rushing into the trailing consonant. Elevate pitch slightly when "slough" carries the primary contrast or new information in a sentence.