How to Pronounce Slay

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

slay

Tap to hear · American accent

Accent

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Speed

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1

Syllable

4

Letters

/sleɪ/

IPA

💡 Tip for remembering “slay”

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

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

What does slay mean?

verb

  1. To kill, murder.

    “Our foes must all be slain.”

  2. To eradicate or stamp out.

    “You must slay these thoughts.”

Synonyms

coitizego to bed withsleep withconquerdefeatovercomeassassinatekill

Hear “slay” 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 slay

Practicing rhymes trains the same ending sounds.

conveydisplaydismaysobriquetdisarrayallaygaydecayplayportraycachefray

Related words

murderremovehitdispatchkillexterminateannihilateeliminate

Frequently asked questions

How many syllables are in "slay"?▾

"Slay" has one syllable.

What is the IPA transcription of "slay"?▾

The IPA transcription of "slay" is /sleɪ/.

What does "slay" mean?▾

Slay: To kill, murder.

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