Speakur

Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

underwhelm

/ˌʌndɚwˈɛlm/

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 1.39 in modern English

Syllables
un-der-whelm
IPA
/ˌʌndɚwˈɛlm/
19
Scrabble Score
10
Letters
3
Syllables
9
Unique Chars

Meaning

verb

To fail to impress; to perform disappointingly.

Example Sentences

Etymology

From under- + whelm: a humorous coinage by novel negation of overwhelm first recorded in the 1950s.

Word Breakdown

Inflected Forms

underwhelms (present, singular) underwhelming (participle, present) underwhelmed (participle, past) underwhelmed (past)

Phrases

damp squib

Frequently Paired Words

anticlimax damp squib

Antonyms

overawe overwhelm

Rhymes With

realm helm elm overwhelm helme kelm hjelm

Questions

How do you pronounce underwhelm?
The recorded pronunciation is /ˌʌndɚwˈɛlm/.
What does underwhelm mean?
To fail to impress; to perform disappointingly.
Where does underwhelm come from?
From under- + whelm: a humorous coinage by novel negation of overwhelm first recorded in the 1950s.

How to pronounce underwhelm

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