How to pronounce tolerably
Say it like TAH-luh-ruh-blee. Tolerably has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (TAH).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce tolerably. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- TAH
- luh
- ruh
- blee
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Tolerably pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- TAHSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ah" in father.
- luhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- ruhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- bleeKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
American vs British pronunciation of tolerably
- The short o is rounded in British English (as in "hot"), but open and unrounded in American English.
British respelling: TOL-uh-ruh-blee.
What does tolerably mean?
- In a tolerable manner; to an extent that can be tolerated.“I don't like the music, but it's tolerably quiet.”
- Reasonably; acceptably; somewhat.
Where does tolerably come from?
From tolerable + -ly.
Questions about saying tolerably
How do you pronounce tolerably?
Say TAH-luh-ruh-blee. The American pronunciation is /ˈtɑlərəbli/. In British English it is /ˈtɒlərəbli/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in tolerably?
Tolerably has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (TAH). Broken into parts: TAH · luh · ruh · blee.
Is tolerably pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. The short o is rounded in British English (as in "hot"), but open and unrounded in American English. The British form is /ˈtɒlərəbli/ (TOL-uh-ruh-blee).