How to Pronounce Whole

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

whole

Tap to hear · American accent

Accent

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Speed

Syllable by syllable — tap each one

Practice: Record & Compare

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2

Syllables

5

Letters

/həʊl/

IPA

💡 Tip for remembering “whole”

"whole" has 2 syllables: whol-e. It rhymes with control and soul, if that helps it stick.

Sounds exactly like: hole, hoel, hoell, hoelle — easy to mix up when writing.

What does whole mean?

noun

  1. Something complete, without any parts missing.

    “This variety of fascinating details didn't fall together into an enjoyable, coherent whole.”

  2. An entirety.

adjective

  1. Entire, undivided.

    “I ate a whole fish.”

  2. Sound, uninjured, healthy.

    “He is of whole mind, but the same cannot be said about his physical state.”

adverb

  1. In entirety; entirely; wholly.

    “I ate a fish whole!”

Synonyms

entirenesstotalitytotalhalewell

Antonyms

ground

Hear “whole” 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 whole

Practicing rhymes trains the same ending sounds.

controlsoulstrollcajoleshoalconsoletrollholegoalextolpigeonholeroll

Related words

undividedentireentirelycompletelyaltogetherwhollytotallyfull-length

Frequently asked questions

How many syllables are in "whole"?▾

"Whole" has 2 syllables: whol · e.

What is the IPA transcription of "whole"?▾

The IPA transcription of "whole" is /həʊl/.

What does "whole" mean?▾

Whole: Something complete, without any parts missing.

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