How to pronounce shady
Say it like SHAY-dee. Shady has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (SHAY).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce shady. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- SHAY
- dee
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Shady pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- SHAYSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ay" in day.
- deeKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
American vs British pronunciation of shady
American and British speakers say shady in essentially the same way: /ˈʃeɪdi/ in the US and /ˈʃeɪdi/ in the UK.
British respelling: SHAY-dee.
What does shady mean?
- quiet, dark, or concealed“her shady past intrigued him”“a shady part of town”
- not as expected“there was something fishy about the accident”“up to some funny business”
- of questionable honesty or legality“He established a dummy company through which he laundered vast sums of cash from shady middlemen and arms dealers”
Where does shady come from?
From shade + -y. Compare Saterland Frisian skaadich, skaddich (“shady”), German schattig (“shady”).
Words that rhyme with shady
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of shady.
Questions about saying shady
How do you pronounce shady?
Say SHAY-dee. The American pronunciation is /ˈʃeɪdi/. In British English it is /ˈʃeɪdi/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in shady?
Shady has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (SHAY). Broken into parts: SHAY · dee.
Do Americans and Brits say shady the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈʃeɪdi/ and the British form is /ˈʃeɪdi/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.