Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

exam

/ɪɡˈzæm/

Word Rarity Uncommon

Frequency: 4.26 in modern English

Syllables: ex-am
IPA: /ɪɡˈzæm/

13

Scrabble Score

4

Letters

2

Syllables

4

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

Clipping of examination, especially when meaning “test” or in compound terms.

Informal

verb

Shortened form of examine

Example Sentences

"Imagine a country where children do nothing but play until they start compulsory schooling at age seven. Then, without exception, they attend comprehensives until the age of 16.[…]There are no inspectors, no exams until the age of 18, no school league tables, no private tuition industry, no school uniforms. […]"
"Thin sections were stained with lead citrate and then examed using 1200EX electron microscope (JEOL, Tokyo, Japan)."

Usage

Informal

Inflected Forms

exams (plural) exams (present, singular) examing (participle, present) examming (participle, present) examed (participle, past) examed (past) exammed (participle, past) exammed (past, rare)

Derived Forms

examless examsmanship

Phrases

bar exam blue book exam challenge exam clinical exam cross-exam direct exam entrance exam exam paper

Synonyms

examination test

Rhymes With

am damn sam ma'am ram dam jam ham cam spam lamb slam

Questions

How do you pronounce exam?: The recorded pronunciation is /ɪɡˈzæm/.
What does exam mean?: Clipping of examination, especially when meaning “test” or in compound terms.

How to pronounce exam

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