How to pronounce foolish
Say it like FOO-lish. Foolish has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (FOO).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce foolish. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- FOO
- lish
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Foolish pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- FOOSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "oo" in food.
- lishKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
American vs British pronunciation of foolish
American and British speakers say foolish in essentially the same way: /ˈfulɪʃ/ in the US and /ˈfuːlɪʃ/ in the UK.
British respelling: FOO-lish.
What does foolish mean?
- devoid of good sense or judgment“foolish remarks”“a foolish decision”
- having or revealing stupidity“ridiculous anserine behavior”“a dopey answer”
Where does foolish come from?
From Middle English folisch; equivalent to fool + -ish.
Similar and opposite words
Opposite meaning
Words that rhyme with foolish
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of foolish.
Questions about saying foolish
How do you pronounce foolish?
Say FOO-lish. The American pronunciation is /ˈfulɪʃ/. In British English it is /ˈfuːlɪʃ/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in foolish?
Foolish has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (FOO). Broken into parts: FOO · lish.
Do Americans and Brits say foolish the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈfulɪʃ/ and the British form is /ˈfuːlɪʃ/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.