How to pronounce meanwhile
Say it like MEEN-wyle. Meanwhile has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (MEEN).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce meanwhile. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- MEEN
- wyle
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Meanwhile pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- MEENSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
- wyleGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "i" in time.
American vs British pronunciation of meanwhile
American and British speakers say meanwhile in essentially the same way: /ˈminˌwaɪl/ in the US and /ˈmiːnˌwaɪl/ in the UK.
British respelling: MEEN-wyle.
What does meanwhile mean?
- at the same time but in another place“meanwhile, back at the ranch...”
- during the intervening time“meanwhile I will not think about the problem”“meantime he was attentive to his other interests”
- the time between one event, process, or period and another“meanwhile the socialists are running the government”
Where does meanwhile come from?
From Middle English menewhile, equivalent to mean (“intermediate”) + while.
Questions about saying meanwhile
How do you pronounce meanwhile?
Say MEEN-wyle. The American pronunciation is /ˈminˌwaɪl/. In British English it is /ˈmiːnˌwaɪl/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in meanwhile?
Meanwhile has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (MEEN). Broken into parts: MEEN · wyle.
Do Americans and Brits say meanwhile the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈminˌwaɪl/ and the British form is /ˈmiːnˌwaɪl/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.