How to Pronounce Sully

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

sully

Tap to hear · American accent

Accent

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Speed

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1

Syllable

5

Letters

/ˈsʌli/

IPA

💡 Tip for remembering “sully”

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

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

What does sully mean?

noun

  1. A blemish.

verb

  1. To soil or stain; to dirty.

    “He did not wish to sully his hands with gardening.”

  2. To corrupt or damage.

    “She tried to sully her rival’s reputation with a suggestive comment.”

Synonyms

sowl

Hear “sully” 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 sully

Practicing rhymes trains the same ending sounds.

gullystillydullycullyshrillyscullylullyslilystyligulleyskillyhully

Related words

besmirchdefiletaintsmirchsmearmaculateaspersetarnish

Frequently asked questions

How many syllables are in "sully"?▾

"Sully" has one syllable.

What is the IPA transcription of "sully"?▾

The IPA transcription of "sully" is /ˈsʌli/.

What does "sully" mean?▾

Sully: A blemish.

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