How to pronounce hardly
Say it like HARD-lee. Hardly has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (HARD).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce hardly. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- HARD
- lee
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Hardly pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- HARDSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ah" in father.
- leeKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
American vs British pronunciation of hardly
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: HAHD-lee.
What does hardly mean?
- only a very short time before“we hardly knew them”“had scarcely rung the bell when the door flew open”
- almost not“he hardly ever goes fishing”“he was scarce sixteen years old”
- slowly and with difficulty“prejudices die hard”“he was so dizzy he could hardly stand up straight”
Where does hardly come from?
From Middle English hardely, hardliche, from Old English heardlīċe (“boldly; hardily; without ease; in a way that causes pain; not easily; only by degrees”), equivalent to hard + -ly.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Questions about saying hardly
How do you pronounce hardly?
Say HARD-lee. The American pronunciation is /ˈhɑrdli/. In British English it is /ˈhɑːdli/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in hardly?
Hardly has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (HARD). Broken into parts: HARD · lee.
Is hardly pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead. The British form is /ˈhɑːdli/ (HAHD-lee).