How to pronounce shifty
Say it like SHIF-tee. Shifty has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (SHIF).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce shifty. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- SHIF
- tee
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Shifty pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- SHIFSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- teeKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
American vs British pronunciation of shifty
American and British speakers say shifty in essentially the same way: /ˈʃɪfti/ in the US and /ˈʃɪfti/ in the UK.
British respelling: SHIF-tee.
What does shifty mean?
- Subject to frequent changes in direction.
- Moving from one object to another; not looking directly and steadily at the person with whom one is speaking.
- Having the appearance of being dishonest, criminal, or unreliable.“He was a shifty character in a seedy bar, and I checked my wallet was still there after talking to him.”
Where does shifty come from?
From shift + -y. Cognate with Dutch schiftig (“loose-fitting, open-textured”).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with shifty
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of shifty.
Questions about saying shifty
How do you pronounce shifty?
Say SHIF-tee. The American pronunciation is /ˈʃɪfti/. In British English it is /ˈʃɪfti/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in shifty?
Shifty has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (SHIF). Broken into parts: SHIF · tee.
Do Americans and Brits say shifty the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈʃɪfti/ and the British form is /ˈʃɪfti/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.