How to Pronounce Sail

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

sail

Tap to hear · American accent

Accent

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Speed

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1

Syllable

4

Letters

/seɪl/

IPA

💡 Tip for remembering “sail”

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

Sounds exactly like: sale, salle, sayle — easy to mix up when writing.

What does sail mean?

noun

  1. A piece of fabric attached to a boat and arranged such that it causes the wind to drive the boat along. The sail may be attached to the boat via a combination of mast, spars and ropes.
  2. (nautical,uncountable) The concept of a sail or sails, as if a substance.

    “Take in sail: a storm is coming.”

Words that rhyme with sail

Practicing rhymes trains the same ending sounds.

wailgaleavailfrailassailtravailprevailentailstaleunveilailbale

Related words

cruisenavigatevoyagecanvassheetsweepcanvassjib

Frequently asked questions

How many syllables are in "sail"?▾

"Sail" has one syllable.

What is the IPA transcription of "sail"?▾

The IPA transcription of "sail" is /seɪl/.

What does "sail" mean?▾

Sail: A piece of fabric attached to a boat and arranged such that it causes the wind to drive the boat along. The sail may be attached to the boat via a combination of mast, spars and ropes.

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