How to pronounce roughly
Say it like RUHF-lee. Roughly has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (RUHF).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce roughly. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- RUHF
- lee
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Roughly pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- RUHFSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "u" in cup.
- leeKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
American vs British pronunciation of roughly
American and British speakers say roughly in essentially the same way: /ˈrʌfli/ in the US and /ˈrʌfli/ in the UK.
British respelling: RUHF-lee.
What does roughly mean?
- (of quantities) imprecise but fairly close to correct“lasted approximately an hour”“in just about a minute”
- with roughness or violence (rough is an informal variant for roughly)“he was pushed roughly aside”“they treated him rough”
- with rough motion as over a rough surface“ride rough”
Where does roughly come from?
From rough + -ly.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Questions about saying roughly
How do you pronounce roughly?
Say RUHF-lee. The American pronunciation is /ˈrʌfli/. In British English it is /ˈrʌfli/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in roughly?
Roughly has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (RUHF). Broken into parts: RUHF · lee.
Do Americans and Brits say roughly the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈrʌfli/ and the British form is /ˈrʌfli/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.