How to pronounce unruly
Say it like un-ROO-lee. Unruly has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (ROO).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce unruly. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- un
- ROO
- lee
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Unruly pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- unKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- ROOSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "oo" in food.
- leeKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
American vs British pronunciation of unruly
American and British speakers say unruly in essentially the same way: /ənˈruli/ in the US and /ənˈruːli/ in the UK.
British respelling: un-ROO-lee.
What does unruly mean?
- Wild; uncontrolled.“The police gathered to contain the unruly mob.”
Where does unruly come from?
From Middle English unruly (“unquiet, restless”), equivalent to un- + rule + -ly (compare Middle English ruly, reuli (“subject to a religious rule, regular”)), but also representing a modified continuation of earlier Middle English unrouly,
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with unruly
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of unruly.
Questions about saying unruly
How do you pronounce unruly?
Say un-ROO-lee. The American pronunciation is /ənˈruli/. In British English it is /ənˈruːli/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in unruly?
Unruly has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (ROO). Broken into parts: un · ROO · lee.
Do Americans and Brits say unruly the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ənˈruli/ and the British form is /ənˈruːli/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.