English pronunciation · Words Starting with B

Bail Pronunciation

Bail is pronounced BAYL, IPA /ˈbeɪl/.

BAYL

US /ˈbeɪl/  ·  UK /ˈbeɪl/

Syllables: BAYL (1 syllable)

noun and verb: Money paid so an accused person can stay out of custody until trial, or, as a verb, to scoop water out of a boat.

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Bail in a Sentence

  • The judge set bail at fifty thousand pounds.
  • He was released on bail the following morning.
  • We had to bail water out of the dinghy with a bucket.

Common Mispronunciations of Bail

Not BEL

The vowel is the long ay of day, not the short e of bell. English ai says ay in almost every word that has it.

Not BY-uhl

One beat only. The l follows the vowel directly, with nothing slipped in between.

Tip: Bail and bale sound identical. Bail is the court payment or the bucket; bale is the bundle of hay.

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