How to pronounce misbehaving
Say it like mis-buh-HAY-ving. Misbehaving has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the third one (HAY).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce misbehaving. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- mis
- buh
- HAY
- ving
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Misbehaving pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- misGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- buhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- HAYSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ay" in day.
- vingKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
American vs British pronunciation of misbehaving
American and British speakers say misbehaving in essentially the same way: /ˌmɪsbəˈheɪvɪŋ/ in the US and /ˌmɪsbəˈheɪvɪŋ/ in the UK.
British respelling: mis-buh-HAY-ving.
What does misbehaving mean?
Where does misbehaving come from?
From Middle English misbehaving, equivalent to misbehave + -ing.
Words that rhyme with misbehaving
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of misbehaving.
Questions about saying misbehaving
How do you pronounce misbehaving?
Say mis-buh-HAY-ving. The American pronunciation is /ˌmɪsbəˈheɪvɪŋ/. In British English it is /ˌmɪsbəˈheɪvɪŋ/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in misbehaving?
Misbehaving has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the third one (HAY). Broken into parts: mis · buh · HAY · ving.
Do Americans and Brits say misbehaving the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˌmɪsbəˈheɪvɪŋ/ and the British form is /ˌmɪsbəˈheɪvɪŋ/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.