2 syllables: be, hold. Stress on hold.
/bɪˈhoʊld/
Say it backBehold is a verb meaning to see or observe something, typically with a sense of attention or amazement. It can introduce what follows or emphasize the act of viewing, and is often used in more formal or literary contexts. In everyday usage you might say, “Behold the sunset,” signaling that you’re presenting something noteworthy to the listener.
- You might over-simplify the second syllable to /hoʊl/ or /həʊl/, dropping the /d/. Emphasize the /ld/ final with a short but audible /d/ release. - Another common error is not articulating the /h/ clearly, especially after an /ɪ/; ensure you maintain a light breathy start leading into the vowel. - Finally, learners often reduce the first syllable too much, pronouncing it as /bɪ/ or /bi/ with a long vowel; keep it brief and unstressed. To fix: practice with slow, careful enunciation of both syllables, then speed up while maintaining the /d/ release.
"Behold the ancient manuscript, its pages worn with age."
"From the hill they beheld a vast city spread below."
"Behold! A comet streaks across the night sky."
Behold is pronounced with two syllables: /bɪˈhoʊld/ in US and /bɪˈhəʊld/ in UK/AU. The primary stress falls on the second syllable. Start with a short, lax /bɪ/ and move to a long, rounded /hoʊld/ or /həʊld/ depending on accent. Ensure the vowel in the second syllable is a clean long /oʊ/ (US) or /əʊ/ (UK/AU), followed by the final /ld/ cluster. For natural delivery, keep the /h/ aspirated, the /oʊ/ or /əʊ/ steady, and avoid adding extra vowels after the /d/.
Common mistakes include misplacing stress (trying to stress the first syllable), shortening the second syllable to /hoːl/ or /hoʊl/ without the /d/ clearly pronounced, and weakening the /l/ or dropping the final /d/ in rapid speech. Correction tips: practice /bɪˈhoʊld/ or /bɪˈhəʊld/ slowly, exaggerate the /d/ at the end to avoid ending with a vowel, and maintain a clear transition between the /o/ vowel and the /ld/ cluster. Use word-link practice to keep the final /ld/ crisp.
In US English the second syllable uses a clear /oʊ/ diphthong, producing /bɪˈhoʊld/. In UK and Australian English the second syllable often uses /əʊ/ with a reduced vowel in some speakers, producing /bɪˈhəʊld/. The /h/ is aspirated in all, and the final /ld/ cluster remains. Rhoticity doesn’t affect behold because it’s not a rhotic word; the main variation is vowel quality in the second syllable. Overall, keep the second syllable vowel as a strong, rounded diphthong in all accents, with a crisp /ld/ ending.
The primary challenge is the second-syllable vowel quality and the final /ld/ cluster. Learners often mispronounce /hoʊld/ as /hdl/ or misplace the tongue for the /l/ and /d/ together, producing a slurred ending. Focus on a deliberate split: a distinct /oʊ/ or /əʊ/ vowel, a crisp /l/ with the tongue lightly touching the alveolar ridge, and a clean, released /d/. Practicing with minimal pairs like /bɪˈhoʊld/ vs /bɪˈhəʊld/ can help solidify the correct mouth shape.
Yes. Behold is a two-syllable word with primary stress on the second syllable: /beˈhold/ in some older analyses, but in modern phonology the primary stress sits on the second syllable: /bɪˈhoʊld/ (US) or /bɪˈhəʊld/ (UK/AU). The first syllable is lighter and shorter, often reduced to /bɪ/ rather than a strong /be/. The rhythm is iambic-like: unstressed-stressed, which can feel counterintuitive if you expect primary stress on the first syllable.
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- US: /bɪˈhoʊld/ with a robust /oʊ/ and clear /ld/; keep /h/ audible but not aspirated too strongly. - UK/AU: /bɪˈhəʊld/; the /əʊ/ is a mid back rounded vowel; the /l/ can be darker or lighter depending on speaker, but maintain the /d/ release. - In all accents, rhoticity does not change behold, as the word is not rhotic. Focus on the second-syllable vowel length and lip rounding. Use IPA references: US /bɪˈhoʊld/, UK/AU /bɪˈhəʊld/.
Behold originates from Middle English beholde, from be- (a prefix meaning ‘about, about to’) + hold, related to the Old English gehældan ‘to hold, keep, protect.’ The word fused into Early Modern English under the spelling behold and retained its sense of ‘to see with attention’ by metaphorically ‘holding in view’ something worth observing. The form beholde appeared in medieval texts, and over time the initial be- ceased to be productive as an independent prefix; the root hold evolved into the familiar modern pronunciation with the /h/ onset and /oʊ/ vowel sequence. While behold is now mostly literary or archaic, it remains a vivid verb for presenting or drawing attention to something notable. The transition from a physical action of holding to a cognitive act of seeing aligns with similar semantic shifts in other Germanic languages, where words for “to see” are metaphorically tethered to “to hold in view.” First known uses appear in Middle English religious and narrative contexts, and by the 16th century it had entrenched itself in print as a formal exclamation or directive to observe.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "behold" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "behold" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "behold"
-old sounds
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