Syllable Counter
Instantly count syllables in any English word, sentence, or paragraph. 172,000+ words in our database.
Browse by syllable count
Why use our syllable counter?
172,000+ word database
Hand-verified syllable counts for the most common English words, plus algorithmic coverage for rare words.
Visual breakdowns
See exactly how each word is divided into syllables with our interactive visual breakdown.
Reading level analysis
Paste any paragraph to get syllable totals, word count, and a Flesch-Kincaid grade level score.
Frequently asked questions
How does the syllable counter work?▾
Our syllable counter uses a database of 172,000+ words with accurate syllable counts, combined with algorithmic rules for words not in our dictionary. It applies phonological rules including vowel group detection, silent-e handling, and consonant cluster analysis.
What is a syllable?▾
A syllable is a unit of sound in a word that contains a single vowel sound. Every word has at least one syllable. For example, "cat" has one syllable, "butter" has two (but·ter), and "beautiful" has three (beau·ti·ful).
Why count syllables?▾
Syllable counting is important for poetry, song lyrics, Haiku writing, reading level analysis (Flesch-Kincaid), speech therapy, language learning, and academic writing. Our tool supports all of these use cases.
Can I count syllables in a sentence or paragraph?▾
Yes! Switch to "Paragraph" mode to count syllables across an entire block of text. You'll get total syllables, word count, and a Flesch-Kincaid reading grade level.