How to pronounce wily
Say it like WY-lee. Wily has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (WY).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce wily. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- WY
- lee
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Wily pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- WYSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in time.
- leeKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
American vs British pronunciation of wily
American and British speakers say wily in essentially the same way: /ˈwaɪli/ in the US and /ˈwaɪli/ in the UK.
British respelling: WY-lee.
What does wily mean?
- Sly, cunning, full of tricks.“Horatio's new girlfriend is a wily coquette, and poor Horatio is too smitten to see it.”
Where does wily come from?
From Middle English wily, wiley, wyly.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with wily
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of wily.
Questions about saying wily
How do you pronounce wily?
Say WY-lee. The American pronunciation is /ˈwaɪli/. In British English it is /ˈwaɪli/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in wily?
Wily has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (WY). Broken into parts: WY · lee.
Do Americans and Brits say wily the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈwaɪli/ and the British form is /ˈwaɪli/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.