How to pronounce cry
Say it like KRY. Cry is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress.
- KRY
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Cry pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- KRYSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in time.
American vs British pronunciation of cry
American and British speakers say cry in essentially the same way: /kraɪ/ in the US and /kraɪ/ in the UK.
British respelling: KRY.
What does cry mean?
- To shed tears; to weep, especially in anger or sadness.“That sad movie always makes me cry.”
- To utter loudly; to call out; to declare publicly.
- To shout, scream, yell.
- A shedding of tears; the act of crying.“After we broke up, I retreated to my room for a good cry.”
- A shout or scream.“I heard a cry from afar.”
- Words shouted or screamed.
Where does cry come from?
Already in the 13th century, the meaning was extended to include the sense "to shed tears" (natively weep); cry used in this sense had mostly replaced weep by the 16th century.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Opposite meaning
Words that rhyme with cry
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of cry.
Questions about saying cry
How do you pronounce cry?
Say KRY. The American pronunciation is /kraɪ/. In British English it is /kraɪ/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in cry?
Cry is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: KRY.
Do Americans and Brits say cry the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /kraɪ/ and the British form is /kraɪ/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.