How to pronounce steely
Say it like STEE-lee. Steely has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (STEE).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce steely. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- STEE
- lee
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Steely pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- STEESay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
- leeKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
American vs British pronunciation of steely
American and British speakers say steely in essentially the same way: /ˈstili/ in the US and /ˈstiːli/ in the UK.
British respelling: STEE-lee.
What does steely mean?
- Having qualities resembling those of steel, especially hardness and resoluteness.“The bully backed down before his steely gaze.”
- Made of steel.
Where does steely come from?
From steel + -y.
Words that rhyme with steely
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of steely.
Questions about saying steely
How do you pronounce steely?
Say STEE-lee. The American pronunciation is /ˈstili/. In British English it is /ˈstiːli/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in steely?
Steely has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (STEE). Broken into parts: STEE · lee.
Do Americans and Brits say steely the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈstili/ and the British form is /ˈstiːli/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.