How to pronounce "sourpuss" in English
ˈsaʊə(ɹ)ˌpʊs
SOW·ə·puus
Primary stress: SOW
Hear native speakers say sourpuss in context across real video clips
Linguistic Pronunciation Masterclass: “sourpuss”
Phonetic mechanics, syllable architecture, and conversational cadence
Syllable Architecture & Stress Distribution
SOW
Gliding diphthong with sustained vocal resonance.
ə
Neutral schwa (⁄ə⁄): relaxed jaw, brief unstressed breath.
puus
Neutral schwa (⁄ə⁄): relaxed jaw, brief unstressed breath.
Primary emphasis falls on the first syllable ("SOW"). Raise your pitch and sustain the vowel length on this syllable while relaxing the surrounding syllables.
Common Pronunciation Traps & Learner Mistakes
The Trap: Avoid pronouncing every vowel with full acoustic weight. Non-native speakers often over-enunciate unstressed vowels.
How Native Speakers Say It: Only give full vowel clarity to the primary stressed syllable. Relax all unstressed vowels into a neutral, low-energy schwa (⁄ə⁄).
Connected Speech & Natural Conversational Flow
When "sourpuss" is followed by a word starting with a vowel, glide the final consonant into the opening vowel (e.g. "sourpuss is" sounds like "sourpuss-iz").
Maintain the stress-timed rhythm of English: compress unstressed syllables rapidly so the beat of "sourpuss" aligns naturally with adjacent words.
Authentic Spoken Quotes from Native Video Context
“We also don't sulk when things go wrong cuz nobody likes to be about around a sourpuss, right?”— TEDx TalksWatch clip
“But despite being a sourpuss, the niece who lived with him and looked after him called him "Il Tesoro," "my treasure."”— Native SpeakerWatch clip
“for me sourpuss just this week I had a guy follow me from the pool to the elevator which I took the staircase because I didn't want”— TEDx TalksWatch clip
Practice Speaking “sourpuss”
Listen to native pronunciation, record yourself repeating the sentence into your microphone, and receive real-time word-by-word accuracy scoring.
We also don't sulk when things go wrong cuz nobody likes to be about around a sourpuss, right?
Hear it in context: “sourpuss”
3 clipsThe English word “sourpuss” is transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) as ˈsaʊə(ɹ)ˌpʊs (phonetic respelling: SOW-ə-puus). Phonologically, it consists of 3 syllables (SOW · ə · puus), with primary lexical stress placed on the 1st (initial) syllable (SOW). Grammatically, “sourpuss” 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 3 authentic English video clips demonstrating how native speakers articulate “sourpuss” in natural connected speech across American (US: 3 sampled), British (UK), and Australian (AUS) accents, including verified broadcasts from TEDx Talks.
Spoken Video Transcripts & Contextual Quotes (3 Verified Clips)
- 🇺🇸 USTEDx TalksClip #1 · @13:23
“better than it truly is. We also don't sulk when things go wrong cuz nobody likes to be about around a sourpuss, right? So, when things inevitably do go wrong and we respond cuz nobody likes to be about around a”
- 🇺🇸 USClip #2 · @4:25
“"Nobody has to know my secrets." But despite being a sourpuss, the niece who lived with him and looked after him called him "Il Tesoro," "my treasure." And she respected him and loved him, the niece who lived with him and looked after him”
- 🇺🇸 USTEDx TalksClip #3 · @4:44
“the friend who while working at a restaurant had a man tell her to smile for me sourpuss just this week I had a guy follow me from the pool to the elevator which I took the staircase because I didn't want from the pool to the elevator which I took the staircase because I didn't want”
Definition & Meaning: “sourpuss”
- A person who is habitually gloomy, sullen or miserable; a grouch; a scowling person.
- To make a gloomy, sullen or miserable facial expression; to scowl.
Example Sentences (3)
- “They butt heads sometimes because Jenna can be pretty selfish and tone-deaf, and Jeordie can be a little bit of a sourpuss.”
- ““Oh, stop your sourpussing. We got what you needed.””
- “We also don't sulk when things go wrong cuz nobody likes to be about around a sourpuss, right? So, when things inevitably do go wrong and we respond”
Common Phrases & Collocations
Pronounce: “sourpuss”
- Pronunciation:
- SOW-ə-puus
- Syllables:
- SOW · ə · puus
- Written Hyphenation:
- sour · puss
- Primary stress:
- SOW
- IPA:
- ˈsaʊə(ɹ)ˌpʊs
- Hear it in context
- sourpuss
Words that Rhyme with “sourpuss”
-aʊə(r)ˌpʊsWords that Sound Identical (Homophones)
Unique Sound"sourpuss" (⁄ˈsaʊə(ɹ)ˌpʊs⁄) 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, "sourpuss" has a completely distinct phonetic identity.
Frequently asked questions about sourpuss
How do you pronounce “sourpuss”?
“sourpuss” is pronounced ⁄ˈsaʊə(ɹ)ˌpʊs⁄ (SOW-ə-puus). Listen to the native-speaker clips above to hear it in real conversation.
How many syllables are in “sourpuss”?
“sourpuss” has 3 syllables: SOW · ə · puus.
Where is the stress in “sourpuss”?
The primary stress in “sourpuss” is on “SOW”. Listen for that stressed syllable in the clips above.
What does “sourpuss” mean?
A person who is habitually gloomy, sullen or miserable; a grouch; a scowling person.
How can I hear “sourpuss” used in real sentences?
This page has 3 real-world video examples of “sourpuss” 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 “sourpuss”?
Avoid pronouncing every vowel with full acoustic weight. Non-native speakers often over-enunciate unstressed vowels. Only give full vowel clarity to the primary stressed syllable. Relax all unstressed vowels into a neutral, low-energy schwa (⁄ə⁄).