How to Pronounce Barney

To pronounce "barney", say BARN-ey — 2 syllables, IPA /ˈbɑːni/. Tap play below to hear it in four English accents, or practice it syllable by syllable.

barney

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Accent

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Speed

Syllable by syllable — tap each one

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2

Syllables

6

Letters

/ˈbɑːni/

IPA

💡 Tip for remembering “barney”

"barney" has 2 syllables: barn-ey. It rhymes with blarney and carny, if that helps it stick.

Sounds exactly like: barny — easy to mix up when writing.

What does barney mean?

noun

  1. A lark, a romp, some fun.
  2. A hoax, a humbug, something that is not genuine, a rigged or unfair sporting contest.

verb

  1. (Harvard University slang) To recite badly; to fail.
  2. To argue, to quarrel.

adjective

  1. Insane crazy, loony.

Synonyms

bickerrowsquabblefisticuffsscufflequarrel

Hear “barney” in real sentences

Real example sentences from Tatoeba (CC-BY) — tap to hear each one, or see it used on YouGlish.

Words that rhyme with barney

Practicing rhymes trains the same ending sounds.

blarneycarnycarneybarnygarnikulkarnisarneyarneyarniecarniecharneyczarny

Related words

okayfatshrimpbarnetworrymarshallwaydog

Frequently asked questions

How many syllables are in "barney"?▾

"Barney" has 2 syllables: barn · ey.

What is the IPA transcription of "barney"?▾

The IPA transcription of "barney" is /ˈbɑːni/.

What does "barney" mean?▾

Barney: A lark, a romp, some fun.

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