How to pronounce grey
Say it like GRAY. Grey is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress.
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce grey. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- GRAY
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Grey pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- GRAYSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ay" in day.
American vs British pronunciation of grey
American and British speakers say grey in essentially the same way: /ɡreɪ/ in the US and /ɡreɪ/ in the UK.
British respelling: GRAY.
What does grey mean?
- of an achromatic color of any lightness intermediate between the extremes of white and black“the little grey cells”“gray flannel suit”
- showing characteristics of age, especially having grey or white hair“whose beard with age is hoar”“nodded his hoary head”
- used to signify the Confederate forces in the American Civil War (who wore grey uniforms)“a stalwart grey figure”
- United States writer of western adventure novels (1875-1939)
- Queen of England for nine days in 1553; she was quickly replaced by Mary Tudor and beheaded for treason (1537-1554)
- Englishman who as Prime Minister implemented social reforms including the abolition of slavery throughout the British Empire (1764-1845)
- make grey“The painter decided to grey the sky”
- turn grey“Her hair began to grey”
Where does grey come from?
From Middle English gray, from Old English grēġ (Anglian).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with grey
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of grey.
Words that sound like grey
Questions about saying grey
How do you pronounce grey?
Say GRAY. The American pronunciation is /ɡreɪ/. In British English it is /ɡreɪ/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in grey?
Grey is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: GRAY.
Do Americans and Brits say grey the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ɡreɪ/ and the British form is /ɡreɪ/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.
What words sound the same as grey?
Grey sounds the same as gray in American English. The spelling and meaning are what tell them apart.