Similar sound, opposite jobs
accept vs except
Meaning, pronunciation, and examples
Accept is usually a verb meaning “to receive or agree to.” Except usually means “not including.” Their first syllables can be very close in fast speech.
American English
Hear the difference
Each term has female and male playback at natural speed. Listen without looking, then compare the recordings with the IPA.
Word 1
accept
verb
To receive willingly, agree to, or recognize as true.
US pronunciation
/əkˈsept/
UK IPA
/əkˈsept/
Hear two natural voices
Word 2
except
preposition or conjunction
Not including; other than a named person or thing.
US pronunciation
/ɪkˈsept/
UK IPA
/ɪkˈsept/
Hear two natural voices
Sound contrast
How to tell them apart
Both words stress SEPT. In careful speech, accept begins with a relaxed “uh,” while except begins closer to “ik.” In natural American speech the difference may be weak, so sentence context remains essential.
Direct answer
What is the difference?
Use accept when receiving, agreeing, or recognizing something. Use except to remove someone or something from a group. Except can also be a verb meaning “to exclude,” but that use is less common in everyday conversation.
Listen in context
6 example sentences
Context makes meaning, grammar, and natural rhythm easier to understand. Every sentence has its own playback.
Examples with
accept
- I am happy to accept your offer.
- This machine accepts contactless payments.
- It took time to accept the change.
Examples with
except
- Everyone arrived early except Mia.
- The store is open daily except Sunday.
- I enjoyed everything except the ending.
Try it yourself
Find the words your listener may hear differently
These sounds can overlap in natural speech, so a transcript cannot prove that one pronunciation is right or wrong. Use it as one clue alongside context.