How to pronounce barely
Say it like BAIR-lee. Barely has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (BAIR).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce barely. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- BAIR
- lee
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Barely pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- BAIRSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
- leeKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
American vs British pronunciation of barely
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: BAIR-lee.
What does barely mean?
- only a very short time before“we hardly knew them”“had scarcely rung the bell when the door flew open”
- almost not“he hardly ever goes fishing”“he was scarce sixteen years old”
- by a little“I only just caught the bus”“he finished the marathon in just under 3 hours”
Where does barely come from?
From Middle English baarly, bareliche, barely, barly, from Old English bærlīċe, equivalent to bare + -ly.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with barely
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of barely.
Questions about saying barely
How do you pronounce barely?
Say BAIR-lee. The American pronunciation is /ˈbɛrli/. In British English it is /ˈbɛəli/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in barely?
Barely has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (BAIR). Broken into parts: BAIR · lee.
Is barely pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead. The British form is /ˈbɛəli/ (BAIR-lee).