How to Pronounce Sway

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

sway

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Accent

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1

Syllable

4

Letters

/sweɪ/

IPA

💡 Tip for remembering “sway”

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

What does sway mean?

noun

  1. The act of swaying; a swaying motion; a swing or sweep of a weapon.
  2. A rocking or swinging motion.

    “The old song caused a little sway in everyone in the room.”

verb

  1. To move or swing from side to side; or backward and forward; to rock.

    “sway to the music;  The trees swayed in the breeze.”

  2. To move or wield with the hand; to swing; to wield.

    “to sway the sceptre”

Hear “sway” 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 sway

Practicing rhymes trains the same ending sounds.

conveydisplaydismaysobriquetdisarrayallaygaydecayplayportraycachefray

Related words

swingtiltshakewobblecarrynodpersuadeshift

Frequently asked questions

How many syllables are in "sway"?▾

"Sway" has one syllable.

What is the IPA transcription of "sway"?▾

The IPA transcription of "sway" is /sweɪ/.

What does "sway" mean?▾

Sway: The act of swaying; a swaying motion; a swing or sweep of a weapon.

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