How to pronounce whistle
Say it like WIS-ul. Whistle has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (WIS).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce whistle. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- WIS
- ul
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Tip: The t is silent and the h is usually not heard either, so it sounds like 'WISS-ul'.
Whistle pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- WISSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- ulKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of whistle
American and British speakers say whistle in essentially the same way: /ˈwɪsəl/ in the US and /ˈwɪsəl/ in the UK.
British respelling: WIS-ul.
What does whistle mean?
- make whistling sounds“He lay there, snoring and whistling”
- move with, or as with, a whistling sound“The bullets whistled past him”
- utter or express by whistling“She whistled a melody”
- the sound made by something moving rapidly or by steam coming out of a small aperture
- the act of signalling (e.g., summoning) by whistling or blowing a whistle“the whistle signalled the end of the game”
- a small wind instrument that produces a whistling sound by blowing into it
Where does whistle come from?
From Middle English whistel, whistil, whistle, from Old English hwistle, from the verb (see below).
Words that rhyme with whistle
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of whistle.
Questions about saying whistle
How do you pronounce whistle?
Say WIS-ul. The American pronunciation is /ˈwɪsəl/. In British English it is /ˈwɪsəl/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in whistle?
Whistle has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (WIS). Broken into parts: WIS · ul.
Do Americans and Brits say whistle the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈwɪsəl/ and the British form is /ˈwɪsəl/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.