How to pronounce nay
Say it like NAY. Nay 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 nay. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- NAY
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Nay pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- NAYSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ay" in day.
American vs British pronunciation of nay
American and British speakers say nay in essentially the same way: /neɪ/ in the US and /neɪ/ in the UK.
British respelling: NAY.
What does nay mean?
- A vote against.“I vote nay, even though the motion is popular, because I would rather be right than popular.”
- A person who voted against.“The vote is 4 in favor and 20 opposed; the nays have it.”
Where does nay come from?
The verb is from Middle English nayen (“to refuse, deny, gainsay”), from the interjection and adverb above.
Similar and opposite words
Opposite meaning
Words that rhyme with nay
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of nay.
Questions about saying nay
How do you pronounce nay?
Say NAY. The American pronunciation is /neɪ/. In British English it is /neɪ/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in nay?
Nay is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: NAY.
Do Americans and Brits say nay the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /neɪ/ and the British form is /neɪ/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.