How to pronounce defile
Say it like duh-FYLE. Defile has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (FYLE).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce defile. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- duh
- FYLE
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Defile pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- duhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- FYLESay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in time.
American vs British pronunciation of defile
American and British speakers say defile in essentially the same way: /dəˈfaɪl/ in the US and /dɪˈfaɪl/ in the UK.
British respelling: dih-FYLE.
What does defile mean?
- To make (someone or something) physically dirty or unclean; to befoul, to soil.
- To make (someone or something) morally impure or unclean; to corrupt, to tarnish.
- To act inappropriately towards or vandalize (something sacred or special); to desecrate, to profane.“To urinate on someone’s grave is an example of a way to defile it.”
- A narrow passage or way (originally (military), one which soldiers could only march through in a single file or line), especially a narrow gorge or pass between mountains.
- An act of marching in files or lines.
- A single file of soldiers; (by extension) any single file.
- Synonym of defilade (“to fortify (something) as a protection from enfilading fire”).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Opposite meaning
Words that rhyme with defile
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of defile.
Questions about saying defile
How do you pronounce defile?
Say duh-FYLE. The American pronunciation is /dəˈfaɪl/. In British English it is /dɪˈfaɪl/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in defile?
Defile has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (FYLE). Broken into parts: duh · FYLE.
Do Americans and Brits say defile the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /dəˈfaɪl/ and the British form is /dɪˈfaɪl/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.