How to pronounce foolishly
Say it like FOO-lish-lee. Foolishly has three 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 foolishly. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- FOO
- lish
- lee
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Foolishly 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.
- leeKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
American vs British pronunciation of foolishly
American and British speakers say foolishly in essentially the same way: /ˈfulɪʃli/ in the US and /ˈfuːlɪʃli/ in the UK.
British respelling: FOO-lish-lee.
What does foolishly mean?
- In a foolish manner.“He dressed foolishly to entertain the children.”
- Without good judgment.“Foolishly, he had decided that, because a home was the best investment, two homes were even better.”
Where does foolishly come from?
From Middle English folysly, folysschly; equivalent to foolish + -ly.
Similar and opposite words
Opposite meaning
Questions about saying foolishly
How do you pronounce foolishly?
Say FOO-lish-lee. The American pronunciation is /ˈfulɪʃli/. In British English it is /ˈfuːlɪʃli/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in foolishly?
Foolishly has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (FOO). Broken into parts: FOO · lish · lee.
Do Americans and Brits say foolishly the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈfulɪʃli/ and the British form is /ˈfuːlɪʃli/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.