How to Pronounce Holy

To pronounce "holy", say HOLY — one syllable, IPA /ˈhəʊli/. Tap play below to hear it in four English accents, or practice it syllable by syllable.

holy

Tap to hear · American accent

Accent

If an accent sounds the same, your device is missing that voice — it falls back to the closest one.

Speed

Practice: Record & Compare

Record yourself saying holy, then compare with the target. Your audio stays on this device — nothing is uploaded.

1

Syllable

4

Letters

/ˈhəʊli/

IPA

💡 Tip for remembering “holy”

"holy" is a single-syllable word — say it in one clean beat. It rhymes with lowly and wholly, if that helps it stick.

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

What does holy mean?

noun

  1. A thing that is extremely holy; used almost exclusively in Holy of Holies.

adjective

  1. Dedicated to a religious purpose or a god.

    “I'm planning to visit the holy city of Jerusalem this Christmas.”

  2. Revered in a religion.

Synonyms

sacredfaultlessflawlessperfectsanctifiedreservedspecial

Antonyms

damageddefectivefaultyflawedimperfectprofane

Hear “holy” 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 holy

Practicing rhymes trains the same ending sounds.

lowlywhollyslowlyproleunholyolliegrowlyshoalycolirollymolycholi

Related words

hallowedsanctifiedsacredblessedsanctumbeatifiedconsecrateddevout

Frequently asked questions

How many syllables are in "holy"?▾

"Holy" has one syllable.

What is the IPA transcription of "holy"?▾

The IPA transcription of "holy" is /ˈhəʊli/.

What does "holy" mean?▾

Holy: A thing that is extremely holy; used almost exclusively in Holy of Holies.

Want the definition, translations into 8 languages, and read-aloud for full sentences?

Open “holy” in the full dictionary →