3 syllables: Cheer, i, os. Stress on Cheer.
CHIR-ee-ohs
/ˈtʃɪɹioʊs/
Cheerios is pronounced CHIR-ee-ohs (/ˈtʃɪɹioʊs/). It has three syllables (Cheer-i-os), with the stress on "Cheer". Cheerios is a brand-name cereal, typically used as a plural noun referring to the ring-shaped oat cereal. It is pronounced as a single word with stress on the first syllable, and the initial.
nounCheerios is a brand-name cereal, typically used as a plural noun referring to the ring-shaped oat cereal. It is pronounced as a single word with stress on the first syllable, and the initial
"I pour a bowl of Cheerios for breakfast every morning."
"The Cheerios box features a yellow banner with nutrition information."
"She crunched a few Cheerios while scanning the article."
Pronounce as CHEER-ee-ohz with primary stress on the first syllable. IPA US: /ˈtʃɪəriˌoʊz/, UK/AU: /ˈtʃɪəriˌəʊz/. Begin with a clear /tʃ/ sound, then /ɪə/ (a near-diphthong), then /r/ or /ɹ/ depending on speaker, and end with /iː/ or /oʊ/ depending on accent—followed by /z/ or /z/ in plural form. Think: CHEER-ee-ohz. For reference, you can also listen to a pronunciation model in Pronounce or Forvo to match your target accent.
Common errors: (1) Flattening the second syllable into a short /ɪ/ → say /ˈtʃɪəri/ with a clear /ɪə/; (2) Misplacing r-coloring in non-rhotic accents—ensure /ɹ/ or the American rhotic approximate; (3) Ending with a hard /z/ vs /oz/ sounding like /zoʊz/. Corrections: emphasize the /iə/ sequence in the middle syllable and keep the final /z/ as a voiced alveolar fricative.
In US English, the stress is on the first syllable: /ˈtʃɪəriˌoʊz/. The middle vowel is a near-diphthong /ɪə/, and the final vowel in the second syllable is /oʊ/ before /z/. UK/AU often use /ˈtʃɪəriˌəʊz/ with a more centered /əʊ/ or /əʊ/ in the final segment; rhoticity is less pronounced in some UK dialects, but many speakers still produce /ɹ/ in the first syllable depending on speaker. Overall, US tends to be more rhotic, UK/AU less so in the middle/right. IPA variations reflect /oʊ/ vs /əʊ/ final syllable.
It challenges: the /tʃ/ onset, the /ɪə/ diphthong in the second position, and maintaining a clear final /z/ after a stressed first syllable. The combination of a light, vowel-heavy middle syllable with a trailing /z/ can blur in fast speech. Also, non-native speakers struggle with the /ɪə/ sequence and rhotic /ɹ/ when applicable. Focus on sustaining the /ɪə/ and producing the final /z/ cleanly.
Because 'Cheerios' is a brand name with a two-phoneme continuation (/ri/ or /riə/ depending on speaker), you might encounter slight variation in the middle syllable, but the critical pattern is /tʃ/ + /ɪə/ + /ɹi/ or /ɹiə/ + /oʊz/. The unique brand spelling contributes to soft vs hard vowel realization; watch for the /ɹ/ and /oʊ/ boundaries. IPA guidance and listening practice help align with your target variety.
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US: rhotic, pronounced /ˈtʃɪəriˌoʊz/, with a clear /ɹ/ and final /oʊz/. UK: /ˈtʃɪəriˌəʊz/, more centralized vowel before final /əʊ/ and often weaker rhotics. AU: similar to UK, often /ˈtʃɪəriˌəʊz/ but with slight vowel quality differences depending on region. Focus on rhotic/click-free /ɹ/ in US, softer rhotics in the UK, distinct /ə/ in AU before /ʊz/. IPA references included for each variant.
Cheerios originated as a breakfast cereal name introduced by General Mills in 1941. The brand name combines 'cheer' with a diminutive suffix -ios to evoke small, cheerful shapes. The product evolved from early ring-shaped cereals to variations like Honey Nut Cheerios and Multigrain Cheerios. The term Cheerios entered common usage as a mass-market product and later became a generic-like reference for ring-shaped oat cereals in some contexts, though it remains a specific brand. First used in advertising materials and product packaging in the early 1940s, the name has since become a ubiquitous label for the cereal in many English-speaking markets.
💡 Etymology tip: Understanding word origins can help you remember pronunciation patterns and recognize related words in the same language family.
Help others use "Cheerios" correctly by contributing grammar tips, common mistakes, and context guidance.
💡 These words have similar meanings to "Cheerios" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "Cheerios" and show contrast in usage.
📚 Vocabulary tip: Learning synonyms and antonyms helps you understand nuanced differences in meaning and improves your word choice in speaking and writing.
Words that rhyme with "Cheerios"
-ios sounds
-oes sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
🎵 Rhyme tip: Practicing with rhyming words helps you master similar sound patterns and improves your overall pronunciation accuracy.
