How to pronounce starkly
Say it like STAR-klee. Starkly has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (STAR).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce starkly. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- STAR
- klee
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Starkly pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- STARSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ah" in father.
- kleeKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
American vs British pronunciation of starkly
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: STAH-klee.
What does starkly mean?
- In a stark manner; with great contrast.“The dark mountains stood out starkly against the pale sky.”
Where does starkly come from?
From Middle English starkli, starcliche, sterkliche, stercliche, from Old English stearclīċe (“strongly; stoutly; vigorously; vehemently; fiercely; strictly”), from Proto-Germanic *starkulīka (“strongly; stiffly”), from *starkulīkaz (“stron
Words that rhyme with starkly
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of starkly.
Questions about saying starkly
How do you pronounce starkly?
Say STAR-klee. The American pronunciation is /ˈstɑrkli/. In British English it is /ˈstɑːkli/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in starkly?
Starkly has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (STAR). Broken into parts: STAR · klee.
Is starkly pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead. The British form is /ˈstɑːkli/ (STAH-klee).