How to pronounce dearly
Say it like DEER-lee. Dearly has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (DEER).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce dearly. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- DEER
- lee
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Dearly pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- DEERSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- leeKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
American vs British pronunciation of dearly
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: DEER-lee.
What does dearly mean?
- In a dear or precious manner.“the funeral of our dearly beloved sister”
- In a dear or expensive manner.“a dearly priced item”
- At great expense; dear.“He paid dearly for his mistake.”
Where does dearly come from?
From Middle English derely, deorliche, from Old English dēorlīċe (“worthily, richly”), equivalent to dear + -ly.
Words that rhyme with dearly
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of dearly.
Questions about saying dearly
How do you pronounce dearly?
Say DEER-lee. The American pronunciation is /ˈdɪrli/. In British English it is /ˈdɪəli/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in dearly?
Dearly has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (DEER). Broken into parts: DEER · lee.
Is dearly 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 /ˈdɪəli/ (DEER-lee).