How to pronounce silently
Say it like SY-lunt-lee. Silently has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (SY).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce silently. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- SY
- lunt
- lee
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Silently pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- SYSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in time.
- luntKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- leeKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
American vs British pronunciation of silently
American and British speakers say silently in essentially the same way: /ˈsaɪləntli/ in the US and /ˈsaɪləntli/ in the UK.
British respelling: SY-lunt-lee.
What does silently mean?
- without speaking“he sat mutely next to her”
Where does silently come from?
From silent + -ly.
Questions about saying silently
How do you pronounce silently?
Say SY-lunt-lee. The American pronunciation is /ˈsaɪləntli/. In British English it is /ˈsaɪləntli/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in silently?
Silently has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (SY). Broken into parts: SY · lunt · lee.
Do Americans and Brits say silently the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈsaɪləntli/ and the British form is /ˈsaɪləntli/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.