How to pronounce obey
Say it like oh-BAY. Obey has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (BAY).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce obey. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- oh
- BAY
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Obey pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- ohKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "o" in go.
- BAYSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ay" in day.
American vs British pronunciation of obey
- The long o starts further forward in British English, closer to "uh-oo" than the American "oh".
British respelling: oh-BAY.
What does obey mean?
- be obedient to
Where does obey come from?
From Middle English obeyen, from Anglo-Norman obeir, obeier et al., Old French obeir, from Latin oboediō (also obēdiō (“to listen to, harken, usually in extended sense, obey, be subject to, serve”)), from ob- (“before, near”) + audiō (“to hear”).
Similar and opposite words
Opposite meaning
Words that rhyme with obey
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of obey.
Questions about saying obey
How do you pronounce obey?
Say oh-BAY. The American pronunciation is /oʊˈbeɪ/. In British English it is /əʊˈbeɪ/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in obey?
Obey has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (BAY). Broken into parts: oh · BAY.
Is obey pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. The long o starts further forward in British English, closer to "uh-oo" than the American "oh". The British form is /əʊˈbeɪ/ (oh-BAY).