How to pronounce woolly
Say it like WUUL-ee. Woolly has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (WUUL).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce woolly. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- WUUL
- ee
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Woolly pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- WUULSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "oo" in book.
- eeKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
American vs British pronunciation of woolly
American and British speakers say woolly in essentially the same way: /ˈwʊli/ in the US and /ˈwʊli/ in the UK.
British respelling: WUUL-ee.
What does woolly mean?
- Made of wool.“Put on a woolly jumper and turn down the thermostat.”
- Having a thick, soft texture, as if made of wool.“woolly hair”
- Unclear, fuzzy, hazy, cloudy.“That's the sort of woolly thinking that causes wars to start.”
- A sweater or similar garment made of wool.
- A sheep not yet shorn.
- A piece of woolwork.
Where does woolly come from?
From Middle English wolly, equivalent to wool + -y.
Words that rhyme with woolly
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of woolly.
Questions about saying woolly
How do you pronounce woolly?
Say WUUL-ee. The American pronunciation is /ˈwʊli/. In British English it is /ˈwʊli/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in woolly?
Woolly has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (WUUL). Broken into parts: WUUL · ee.
Do Americans and Brits say woolly the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈwʊli/ and the British form is /ˈwʊli/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.