How to pronounce whilst
Say it like WYLST. Whilst is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress.
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce whilst. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- WYLST
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Whilst pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- WYLSTSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in time.
American vs British pronunciation of whilst
American and British speakers say whilst in essentially the same way: /waɪlst/ in the US and /waɪlst/ in the UK.
British respelling: WYLST.
What does whilst mean?
- Often preceded by the: During the time; meanwhile.
- During the whole, or until the end, of the time that; as long as, at the same time.“Drivers must switch off engines whilst on stand.”
- Within, or before the end, of the time that.
- Although; in contrast; whereas.
Questions about saying whilst
How do you pronounce whilst?
Say WYLST. The American pronunciation is /waɪlst/. In British English it is /waɪlst/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in whilst?
Whilst is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: WYLST.
Do Americans and Brits say whilst the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /waɪlst/ and the British form is /waɪlst/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.