How to pronounce woeful
Say it like WOH-ful. Woeful has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (WOH).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce woeful. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- WOH
- ful
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Woeful pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- WOHSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "o" in go.
- fulKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of woeful
- The long o starts further forward in British English, closer to "uh-oo" than the American "oh".
British respelling: WOH-ful.
What does woeful mean?
- Full of woe; sorrowful; distressed with grief or calamity.
- Bringing calamity, distress, or affliction.“a woeful event”
- Lamentable, deplorable.
Where does woeful come from?
From Middle English woful, waful, equivalent to woe + -ful.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Questions about saying woeful
How do you pronounce woeful?
Say WOH-ful. The American pronunciation is /ˈwoʊfəl/. In British English it is /ˈwəʊfəl/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in woeful?
Woeful has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (WOH). Broken into parts: WOH · ful.
Is woeful pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. The long o starts further forward in British English, closer to "uh-oo" than the American "oh". The British form is /ˈwəʊfəl/ (WOH-ful).