How to pronounce willful
Say it like WIL-ful. Willful has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (WIL).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce willful. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- WIL
- ful
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Willful pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- WILSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- fulKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of willful
American and British speakers say willful in essentially the same way: /ˈwɪlfəl/ in the US and /ˈwɪlfəl/ in the UK.
British respelling: WIL-ful.
What does willful mean?
- American standard spelling of wilful.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with willful
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of willful.
Questions about saying willful
How do you pronounce willful?
Say WIL-ful. The American pronunciation is /ˈwɪlfəl/. In British English it is /ˈwɪlfəl/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in willful?
Willful has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (WIL). Broken into parts: WIL · ful.
Do Americans and Brits say willful the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈwɪlfəl/ and the British form is /ˈwɪlfəl/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.