How to pronounce seriously
Say it like SIR-ee-uh-slee. Seriously has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (SIR).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce seriously. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- SIR
- ee
- uh
- slee
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Seriously pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- SIRSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- eeKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
- uhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- sleeKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
American vs British pronunciation of seriously
American and British speakers say seriously in essentially the same way: /ˈsɪriəsli/ in the US and /ˈsɪəriəsli/ in the UK.
British respelling: SEER-ree-uh-slee.
What does seriously mean?
- in a serious manner“talking earnestly with his son”“she started studying snakes in earnest”
- to a severe or serious degree“fingers so badly frozen they had to be amputated”“badly injured”
Where does seriously come from?
From Middle English seriously, sereously, ceryously, seryowslech (“earnestly”), equivalent to serious + -ly.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with seriously
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of seriously.
Questions about saying seriously
How do you pronounce seriously?
Say SIR-ee-uh-slee. The American pronunciation is /ˈsɪriəsli/. In British English it is /ˈsɪəriəsli/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in seriously?
Seriously has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (SIR). Broken into parts: SIR · ee · uh · slee.
Do Americans and Brits say seriously the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈsɪriəsli/ and the British form is /ˈsɪəriəsli/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.