How to pronounce soil
Say it like SOYL. Soil is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress.
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce soil. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- SOYL
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Soil pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- SOYLSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "oy" in boy.
American vs British pronunciation of soil
American and British speakers say soil in essentially the same way: /sɔɪl/ in the US and /sɔɪl/ in the UK.
British respelling: SOYL.
What does soil mean?
- the state of being covered with unclean things
- the part of the earth's surface consisting of humus and disintegrated rock
- material in the top layer of the surface of the earth in which plants can grow (especially with reference to its quality or use)“the land had never been plowed”“good agricultural soil”
- make soiled, filthy, or dirty“don't soil your clothes when you play outside!”
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with soil
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of soil.
Questions about saying soil
How do you pronounce soil?
Say SOYL. The American pronunciation is /sɔɪl/. In British English it is /sɔɪl/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in soil?
Soil is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: SOYL.
Do Americans and Brits say soil the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /sɔɪl/ and the British form is /sɔɪl/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.