How to Pronounce Spiral

To pronounce "spiral", say SPIR-al — 2 syllables, IPA /ˈspaɪɹəl/. Tap play below to hear it in four English accents, or practice it syllable by syllable.

spiral

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 spiral, then compare with the target. Your audio stays on this device — nothing is uploaded.

2

Syllables

6

Letters

/ˈspaɪɹəl/

IPA

💡 Tip for remembering “spiral”

"spiral" has 2 syllables: spir-al. It rhymes with gyral and viral, if that helps it stick.

What does spiral mean?

noun

  1. A curve that is the locus of a point that rotates about a fixed point while continuously increasing its distance from that point.
  2. A helix.

verb

  1. To move along the path of a spiral or helix.

    “The falling leaves spiralled down from the tree.”

  2. To cause something to spiral.

    “You need to learn how to spiral a ball.”

adjective

  1. Helical, like a spiral

Words that rhyme with spiral

Practicing rhymes trains the same ending sounds.

gyralviralchiralantiviralbeyerlebyrletyrell

Related words

helixhelicalvolutedgyratecoilcoiledvolutecoiling

Frequently asked questions

How many syllables are in "spiral"?▾

"Spiral" has 2 syllables: spir · al.

What is the IPA transcription of "spiral"?▾

The IPA transcription of "spiral" is /ˈspaɪɹəl/.

What does "spiral" mean?▾

Spiral: A curve that is the locus of a point that rotates about a fixed point while continuously increasing its distance from that point.

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

Open “spiral” in the full dictionary →