How to Pronounce Whistle

To pronounce "whistle", say WHISTL-e — 2 syllables, IPA /wɪsl̩/. Tap play below to hear it in four English accents, or practice it syllable by syllable.

whistle

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Accent

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Speed

Syllable by syllable — tap each one

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2

Syllables

7

Letters

/wɪsl̩/

IPA

💡 Tip for remembering “whistle”

"whistle" has 2 syllables: whistl-e. It rhymes with bristle and dismissal, if that helps it stick.

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

What does whistle mean?

noun

  1. A device designed to be placed in the mouth and blown, or driven by steam or some other mechanism, to make a whistling sound.
  2. An act of whistling.

verb

  1. To make a shrill, high-pitched sound by forcing air through the mouth. To produce a whistling sound, restrictions to the flow of air are created using the teeth, tongue and lips.

    “Never whistle at a funeral.”

  2. To make a similar sound by forcing air through a musical instrument or a pipe etc.

    “The stream train whistled as it passed by.”

Words that rhyme with whistle

Practicing rhymes trains the same ending sounds.

bristledismissalgristlefissilemissalmisselmissileistle

Related words

singpennywhistletoothissinghissblowingpunchblower

Frequently asked questions

How many syllables are in "whistle"?▾

"Whistle" has 2 syllables: whistl · e.

What is the IPA transcription of "whistle"?▾

The IPA transcription of "whistle" is /wɪsl̩/.

What does "whistle" mean?▾

Whistle: A device designed to be placed in the mouth and blown, or driven by steam or some other mechanism, to make a whistling sound.

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