How to pronounce madly
Say it like MAD-lee. Madly has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (MAD).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce madly. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- MAD
- lee
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Madly pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- MADSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "a" in cat.
- leeKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
American vs British pronunciation of madly
American and British speakers say madly in essentially the same way: /ˈmædli/ in the US and /ˈmædli/ in the UK.
British respelling: MAD-lee.
What does madly mean?
- without reason or understanding; wildly.“I'm madly in love with you.”
- angrily“Diane screamed madly down the phone to the prank caller.”
- extremely surprisingly or unexpectedly
Where does madly come from?
From Middle English madly, madli, medliche, equivalent to mad + -ly.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with madly
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of madly.
Questions about saying madly
How do you pronounce madly?
Say MAD-lee. The American pronunciation is /ˈmædli/. In British English it is /ˈmædli/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in madly?
Madly has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (MAD). Broken into parts: MAD · lee.
Do Americans and Brits say madly the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈmædli/ and the British form is /ˈmædli/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.