How to pronounce awhile
Say it like uh-WYLE. Awhile has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (WYLE).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce awhile. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- uh
- WYLE
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Awhile pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- uhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- WYLESay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in time.
American vs British pronunciation of awhile
American and British speakers say awhile in essentially the same way: /əˈwaɪl/ in the US and /əˈwaɪl/ in the UK.
British respelling: uh-WYLE.
What does awhile mean?
- for a short time“sit down and stay awhile”“they settled awhile in Virginia before moving West”
Where does awhile come from?
From Old English āne (“(for) a”) hwīle (“while”).
Words that rhyme with awhile
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of awhile.
Questions about saying awhile
How do you pronounce awhile?
Say uh-WYLE. The American pronunciation is /əˈwaɪl/. In British English it is /əˈwaɪl/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in awhile?
Awhile has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (WYLE). Broken into parts: uh · WYLE.
Do Americans and Brits say awhile the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /əˈwaɪl/ and the British form is /əˈwaɪl/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.