put · but · butt

put uses the short /ʊ/, while but and butt share the more open /ʌ/ — and are themselves exact homophones.

Two contrasts in one set: put /pʊt/ uses the short, soft /ʊ/. but and butt both use the more open /ʌ/ — and are themselves exact homophones of each other.

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put

verb — to place something somewhere — 'put it on the table' · 'put your shoes on' · 'put it away'

mouth shape

short /ʊ/ — lips slightly rounded, tongue high and back — like 'book', 'foot', 'good' — a soft, short sound

put

/pʊt/

vowel length

short /ʊ/

⠿ reorder

but

conjunction — introduces a contrast — 'I tried, but I failed' · 'small but strong'

mouth shape

short /ʌ/ — mouth half-open, tongue central and low, lips neutral — like 'cut', 'hut', 'shut' — noticeably more open than put

but

/bʌt/

vowel length

short /ʌ/

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butt

noun — informal for buttocks; the target of a joke; the thicker end of something — 'the butt of the joke' · 'cigarette butt' · 'butt heads with someone'

mouth shape

identical pronunciation to but — /bʌt/ — an exact homophone — only the spelling and meaning differ

butt

/bʌt/

vowel length

short /ʌ/

plays as: “the butt of the joke”

Key difference

put keeps the lips relaxed and rounded, with very little jaw movement — /ʊ/. but and butt open the jaw further and relax the lips completely — /ʌ/. Since but and butt sound identical, only the sentence tells you which one is meant.

Example sentences

put:“Put the keys on the counter.”

but:“I wanted to go, but it was too late.”

butt:“He dropped his cigarette butt on the ground.”

Hear it in the wild

Real speech from native speakers — the most reliable way to check a pronunciation, since automated audio can vary by device and browser.

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put

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