How to pronounce wistful
Say it like WIST-ful. Wistful has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (WIST).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce wistful. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- WIST
- ful
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Wistful pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- WISTSay 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 wistful
American and British speakers say wistful in essentially the same way: /ˈwɪstfəl/ in the US and /ˈwɪstfəl/ in the UK.
British respelling: WIST-ful.
What does wistful mean?
- Full of longing or yearning.“His eyes grew wistful as he recalled his university days.”
- Sad and thoughtful.
Where does wistful come from?
Presumably from *whistful, from whist (“silent”) + -ful, based on older wistly.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Questions about saying wistful
How do you pronounce wistful?
Say WIST-ful. The American pronunciation is /ˈwɪstfəl/. In British English it is /ˈwɪstfəl/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in wistful?
Wistful has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (WIST). Broken into parts: WIST · ful.
Do Americans and Brits say wistful the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈwɪstfəl/ and the British form is /ˈwɪstfəl/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.