How to pronounce haywire
Say it like HAY-wy-er. Haywire has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (HAY).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce haywire. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- HAY
- wy
- er
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Haywire pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- HAYSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ay" in day.
- wyKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "i" in time.
- erKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "er" in butter.
American vs British pronunciation of haywire
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: HAY-wy-uh.
What does haywire mean?
- Wire used to bind bales of hay.
- Roughly-made, unsophisticated, decrepit (from the use of haywire for temporary repairs).
- Behaviorally erratic or uncontrollable, especially of a machine or mechanical process.“It was working fine until it went haywire and wouldn't stop printing blank sheets.”
- To attach or fix with haywire.
Where does haywire come from?
The original meaning of “likely to become tangled unpredictably or unusably, or fall apart”, as though only bound with the kind of soft, springy wire used to bind hay bales comes from usage in New England lumber camps circa 1905 where haywi
Questions about saying haywire
How do you pronounce haywire?
Say HAY-wy-er. The American pronunciation is /ˈheɪwaɪɚ/. In British English it is /ˈheɪwaɪə/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in haywire?
Haywire has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (HAY). Broken into parts: HAY · wy · er.
Is haywire 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 /ˈheɪwaɪə/ (HAY-wy-uh).