How to pronounce ruthless
Say it like ROOTH-lus. Ruthless has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (ROOTH).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce ruthless. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- ROOTH
- lus
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Ruthless pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- ROOTHSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "oo" in food.
- lusKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of ruthless
American and British speakers say ruthless in essentially the same way: /ˈruθləs/ in the US and /ˈruːθləs/ in the UK.
British respelling: ROOTH-lus.
What does ruthless mean?
- without mercy or pity“an act of ruthless ferocity”“a monster of remorseless cruelty”
Where does ruthless come from?
From Middle English reuþeles; equivalent to ruth + -less.
Words that rhyme with ruthless
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of ruthless.
Questions about saying ruthless
How do you pronounce ruthless?
Say ROOTH-lus. The American pronunciation is /ˈruθləs/. In British English it is /ˈruːθləs/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in ruthless?
Ruthless has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (ROOTH). Broken into parts: ROOTH · lus.
Do Americans and Brits say ruthless the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈruθləs/ and the British form is /ˈruːθləs/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.