English pronunciation · Words Starting with O
Only Pronunciation
Only is pronounced OHN-lee, IPA /ˈoʊnli/.
OHN-lee
US /ˈoʊnli/ · UK /ˈəʊnli/
Syllables: OHN · lee (2 syllables, stress on syllable 1)
adverb and adjective: No more than, or being the single one of its kind.
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Only in a Sentence
- There is only one bus after nine.
- She was the only person who asked.
- I only found out this morning.
Common Mispronunciations of Only
Not ON-lee
The first vowel is the long oh of own, not the short o of on. The word is built on one but has drifted away from it in sound.
Not ohn-LEE
The beat sits at the front and the -ly ending stays weak, as it does in every English adverb.
Tip: Only rhymes with lonely. If you can say lonely, drop the le and you have it.
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