How to Pronounce Pencil

To pronounce "pencil", say PENC-il — 2 syllables, IPA /ˈpɛnsəɫ/. Tap play below to hear it in four English accents, or practice it syllable by syllable.

pencil

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

Syllable by syllable — tap each one

Practice: Record & Compare

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

2

Syllables

6

Letters

/ˈpɛnsəɫ/

🇺🇸 IPA (US)

/pˈɛnsəl/

🇬🇧 IPA (UK)

💡 Tip for remembering “pencil”

Break "pencil" into 2 beats and lean on "PENC" — that's the stressed one.

What does pencil mean?

noun

  1. A paintbrush.
  2. A writing utensil with a graphite (commonly referred to as lead) shaft, usually blended with clay, clad in wood, and sharpened to a taper.

verb

  1. To write (something) using a pencil.

    “I penciled (BrE: pencilled) a brief reminder in my notebook.”

  2. To mark with, or as if with, a pencil.

Keep practicing

Related pages on PronounceIt, chosen from what we know about this word.

Train the contrast: ship vs sheep, bit vs beat

Sounds worth drilling for a word spelled like this:

/l/ — l/e/ — short e/ɪ/ — short i

Read next: How to Read IPA: The Phonetic Alphabet Made Simple

Frequently asked questions

How do you pronounce "pencil"?▾

To pronounce "pencil", say PENC-il — 2 syllables, IPA /ˈpɛnsəɫ/. Tap play below to hear it in four English accents, or practice it syllable by syllable.

How many syllables are in "pencil"?▾

"Pencil" has 2 syllables: penc · il.

What is the IPA transcription of "pencil"?▾

The IPA transcription of "pencil" is /ˈpɛnsəɫ/.

What does "pencil" mean?▾

Pencil: A paintbrush.

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

Open “pencil” in the full dictionary →