Speakur

Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

preach to deaf ears

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.46 in modern English

Syllables
preach -to deaf- ears
IPA
27
Scrabble Score
16
Letters
3
Syllables
11
Unique Chars

Meaning

verb

To attempt to persuade a party that does not wish to listen or cannot be altered in its conviction.

Example Sentences

Inflected Forms

preaches to deaf ears (present, singular) preaching to deaf ears (participle, present) preached to deaf ears (participle, past) preached to deaf ears (past)

Phrases

fall on deaf ears turn a deaf ear preach in the desert

Frequently Paired Words

fall on deaf ears turn a deaf ear preach in the desert

Synonyms

like talking to a wall

Questions

What does preach to deaf ears mean?
To attempt to persuade a party that does not wish to listen or cannot be altered in its conviction.

How to pronounce preach to deaf ears

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “preach to deaf ears”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling () so you know which sounds to aim for.
  3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “preach to deaf ears”.
  4. Repeat and practice — Say “preach to deaf ears” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.