How to pronounce discretionary
Say it like dih-SKRESH-uh-ner-ee. Discretionary has five syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (SKRESH).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce discretionary. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- dih
- SKRESH
- uh
- ner
- ee
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Discretionary pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- dihKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- SKRESHSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
- uhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- nerGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
- eeKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
American vs British pronunciation of discretionary
American and British speakers say discretionary in essentially the same way: /dɪˈskrɛʃəˌnɛri/ in the US and /dɪˈskrɛʃənəri/ in the UK.
British respelling: dih-SKRESH-uh-nuh-ree.
What does discretionary mean?
- Available at one's discretion; able to be used as one chooses; left to or regulated by one's own discretion or judgment.“discretionary income”
Where does discretionary come from?
From discretion + -ary (“pertaining to”).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Questions about saying discretionary
How do you pronounce discretionary?
Say dih-SKRESH-uh-ner-ee. The American pronunciation is /dɪˈskrɛʃəˌnɛri/. In British English it is /dɪˈskrɛʃənəri/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in discretionary?
Discretionary has five syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (SKRESH). Broken into parts: dih · SKRESH · uh · ner · ee.
Do Americans and Brits say discretionary the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /dɪˈskrɛʃəˌnɛri/ and the British form is /dɪˈskrɛʃənəri/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.