How to pronounce wise
Say it like WYZE. Wise 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 wise. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- WYZE
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Wise pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- WYZESay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in time.
American vs British pronunciation of wise
American and British speakers say wise in essentially the same way: /waɪz/ in the US and /waɪz/ in the UK.
British respelling: WYZE.
What does wise mean?
- having or prompted by wisdom or discernment“a wise leader”“a wise and perceptive comment”
- marked by the exercise of good judgment or common sense in practical matters“judicious use of one's money”“a wise decision”
- evidencing the possession of inside information
- a way of doing or being“in no wise”“in this wise”
- United States Jewish leader (born in Hungary) (1874-1949)
- United States religious leader (born in Bohemia) who united reform Jewish organizations in the United States (1819-1900)
Where does wise come from?
Cognate with West Frisian wiis (“wise”), Dutch wijs (“wise”), German weis, weise (“wise”), Low German wies (“wise; clever”), Danish, Norwegian Bokmål, Norwegian Nynorsk, and Swedish vis (“wise”), Icelandic vís (“wise; certain”), Gothic *𐍅𐌴𐌹
Similar and opposite words
Opposite meaning
Words that rhyme with wise
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of wise.
Words that sound like wise
- why's
Questions about saying wise
How do you pronounce wise?
Say WYZE. The American pronunciation is /waɪz/. In British English it is /waɪz/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in wise?
Wise is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: WYZE.
Do Americans and Brits say wise the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /waɪz/ and the British form is /waɪz/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.
What words sound the same as wise?
Wise sounds the same as why's in American English. The spelling and meaning are what tell them apart.