How to pronounce darkly
Say it like DAR-klee. Darkly has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (DAR).
- DAR
- klee
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Darkly pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- DARSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ah" in father.
- kleeKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
American vs British pronunciation of darkly
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: DAH-klee.
What does darkly mean?
- With insufficient light for easy discernment or comprehension.“I could make out his image darkly.”
- With a dark appearance.
- In a manner which is not readily visible or noticeable; inconspicuously.
- Relating to darkness or obscurity.
Where does darkly come from?
From Middle English derkly, derkely, derkliche, derkeliche; equivalent to dark + -ly.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
- blackly
- sably
- anonymously
- obscurely
- unapparently
- unnoticeably
- covertly
- furtively
Words that rhyme with darkly
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of darkly.
Questions about saying darkly
How do you pronounce darkly?
Say DAR-klee. The American pronunciation is /ˈdɑrkli/. In British English it is /ˈdɑːkli/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in darkly?
Darkly has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (DAR). Broken into parts: DAR · klee.
Is darkly 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 /ˈdɑːkli/ (DAH-klee).