How to pronounce bully
Say it like BUUL-ee. Bully has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (BUUL).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce bully. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- BUUL
- ee
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Bully pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- BUULSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "oo" in book.
- eeKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
American vs British pronunciation of bully
American and British speakers say bully in essentially the same way: /ˈbʊli/ in the US and /ˈbʊli/ in the UK.
British respelling: BUUL-ee.
What does bully mean?
- a cruel and brutal fellow
- a hired thug
- very good“he did a bully job”“a neat sports car”
- be bossy towards“Her big brother always bullied her when she was young”
- discourage or frighten with threats or a domineering manner; intimidate
Where does bully come from?
The term acquired a negative connotation during the 17th century; first ‘noisy, blustering fellow’ then ‘a person who is cruel to others’.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with bully
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of bully.
Questions about saying bully
How do you pronounce bully?
Say BUUL-ee. The American pronunciation is /ˈbʊli/. In British English it is /ˈbʊli/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in bully?
Bully has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (BUUL). Broken into parts: BUUL · ee.
Do Americans and Brits say bully the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈbʊli/ and the British form is /ˈbʊli/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.