How to pronounce smelly
Say it like SMEL-ee. Smelly has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (SMEL).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce smelly. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- SMEL
- ee
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Smelly pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- SMELSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
- eeKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
American vs British pronunciation of smelly
American and British speakers say smelly in essentially the same way: /ˈsmɛli/ in the US and /ˈsmɛli/ in the UK.
British respelling: SMEL-ee.
What does smelly mean?
- Having a bad smell.“She was hesitant to remove her shoes, as her socks were rather smelly.”
- Having a quality that arouses suspicion.“The detective read the documents and thought, "Something sure is smelly about this case."”
- Having signs that suggest a design problem; having a code smell.“That smelly code needs to be refactored.”
- A smelly person.
- a Short Magazine Lee Enfield rifle or one of its derivatives.
Where does smelly come from?
From smell + -y.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with smelly
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of smelly.
Questions about saying smelly
How do you pronounce smelly?
Say SMEL-ee. The American pronunciation is /ˈsmɛli/. In British English it is /ˈsmɛli/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in smelly?
Smelly has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (SMEL). Broken into parts: SMEL · ee.
Do Americans and Brits say smelly the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈsmɛli/ and the British form is /ˈsmɛli/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.