How to pronounce line
Say it like LYNE. Line 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 line. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- LYNE
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Line pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- LYNESay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in time.
American vs British pronunciation of line
American and British speakers say line in essentially the same way: /laɪn/ in the US and /laɪn/ in the UK.
British respelling: LYNE.
What does line mean?
- a formation of people or things one beside another“the line of soldiers advanced with their bayonets fixed”“they were arrayed in line of battle”
- a mark that is long relative to its width“He drew a line on the chart”
- a formation of people or things one behind another“the line stretched clear around the corner”“you must wait in a long line at the checkout counter”
- be in line with; form a line along“trees line the riverbank”
- cover the interior of“line the gloves”“line a chimney”
- make a mark or lines on a surface“draw a line”“trace the outline of a figure in the sand”
Where does line come from?
The oldest sense of the word is “rope, cord, thread”; from this the senses “path”, “continuous mark” were derived.
Words that rhyme with line
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of line.
Questions about saying line
How do you pronounce line?
Say LYNE. The American pronunciation is /laɪn/. In British English it is /laɪn/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in line?
Line is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: LYNE.
Do Americans and Brits say line the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /laɪn/ and the British form is /laɪn/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.