How to pronounce surprisingly
Say it like ser-PRY-zing-lee. Surprisingly has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (PRY).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce surprisingly. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- ser
- PRY
- zing
- lee
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Surprisingly pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- serKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "er" in butter.
- PRYSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in time.
- zingKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- leeKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
American vs British pronunciation of surprisingly
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: suh-PRY-zing-lee.
What does surprisingly mean?
- in a surprising manner“he was surprisingly friendly”
- in an amazing manner; to everyone's surprise“amazingly, he finished medical school in three years”
Where does surprisingly come from?
From surprising + -ly.
Questions about saying surprisingly
How do you pronounce surprisingly?
Say ser-PRY-zing-lee. The American pronunciation is /sɚˈpraɪzɪŋli/. In British English it is /səˈpraɪzɪŋli/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in surprisingly?
Surprisingly has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (PRY). Broken into parts: ser · PRY · zing · lee.
Is surprisingly 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 /səˈpraɪzɪŋli/ (suh-PRY-zing-lee).