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Five Letter Word Finder

Syllable Counter

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Type a word → see how many syllables it has. Each line of a poem is counted separately.

Count the syllables in a word, a sentence or a whole poem. Each line is counted separately, so it’s easy to check a haiku, a limerick or song lyrics.

How to count syllables

A syllable is a unit of sound built around one vowel sound: “cat” has one, “ta-ble” two, and “ba-na-na” three. A quick way to check by yourself is to put your hand under your chin and say the word slowly: each time your jaw drops, that’s a syllable. Silent letters don’t count, so “cake” has one syllable and “hoped” has one, while “wanted” has two.

How this syllable counter works

Counts come from the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary, an openly licensed dictionary of how about 125,000 English words are pronounced, used for the thousands of words where spelling rules alone get it wrong. Other words are counted with spelling rules for vowel groups and silent endings. Some words can be said with different numbers of syllables (“fire”, “every”, “family”), and the most common pronunciation is used.

Syllables in poetry

  • Haiku: three lines of 5, 7 and 5 syllables. Type each line on its own line, and the counter tells you when your poem follows the pattern.
  • Limerick: five lines, usually 8 to 9 syllables for lines 1, 2 and 5, and 5 to 6 for lines 3 and 4.
  • Sonnet: fourteen lines, traditionally 10 syllables each (iambic pentameter).

Looking for a better-fitting word? The Online Dictionary lists synonyms, and the syllable count shows which one fits your line.

Syllables and readability

Readability formulas such as Flesch reading ease use the average number of syllables per word: text with shorter words is easier to read. For a longer piece, the word counter shows word count, reading time and readability together.

Frequently asked questions

How many syllables are in “every”?

The counter shows 3 (ev-er-y), the dictionary pronunciation, though many people say it with 2 (ev-ry).

Is the syllable count always right?

For dictionary words it follows the listed pronunciation. For names, new words and made-up words, the count is an estimate from spelling rules and may be off by one.

Can I count syllables for a whole poem?

Yes. Paste the poem with each line on its own line, and you’ll see the total and a count for every line.