2 syllables: A, gree. Stress on gree.
uh-GREE
/əˈɡɹi/
Agree is pronounced uh-GREE (/əˈɡɹi/). It has two syllables (A-gree), with the stress on "gree". Agree is a verb meaning to share the same opinion or belief, or to consent to a proposal. In usage, it signals concurrence or assent, and can function in various tenses and constructions (agree with, agree to). It often implies harmony of views or acceptance of an idea in conversation or decision-making.
verbAgree is a verb meaning to share the same opinion or belief, or to consent to a proposal. In usage, it signals concurrence or assent, and can function in various tenses and constructions (agree with, agree to). It often implies harmony of views or acceptance of an idea in conversation or decision-making.
"I agree with your assessment of the project timeline."
"They finally agreed to the proposed plan after the discussion."
"Do you agree to the terms and conditions stated in the contract?"
Agree is pronounced with two syllables: a-GREE. The first syllable uses the schwa /ə/ and the second carries a long /iː/. The IPA is /əˈɡriː/ in US/UK/AU accents. Ensure you start with a relaxed, neutral vowel before the /ɡ/ plosive and /r/ with a slight rhotic approach in rhotic accents. Place your tongue low for the schwa, then raise the blade for /ɡriː/ as you round your lips slightly for the long vowel. You’ll want a light, smooth transition between syllables, avoiding a hard onset on the second syllable.
Common errors include saying /əˈɡrɪ/ with a short /ɪ/ in the second syllable, or overpronouncing the /ɡ/ and creating a clipped ‘agrai’ sound. Some speakers also insert an intrusive /w/ or misplace the stress as /ˈæɡriː/. Correct by maintaining the long /iː/ vowel and stressing the second syllable; keep the /ɡ/ as a hard, single plosive after the unstressed vowel, and avoid inserting a vowel between /ə/ and /ɡ/.
Across US/UK/AU, the core /əˈɡriː/ pattern remains, but rhoticity and vowel quality shift subtly. US tends to have a softer /r/ and a flatter /iː/; UK may feature a more fronted /iː/ with non-rhoticization in some accents, making the /r/ less pronounced. Australian English generally keeps a rhotic /r/ in linked speech but may reduce the /ɡr/ cluster slightly, with a bright /iː/ and less retroflexion. In all cases, the second syllable carries the long /iː/ and the stress is on the second syllable.
The difficulty lies in the subtle vowel length and the /ɡr/ cluster, especially when speech is fast. The schwa in the first syllable followed by a deliberate /ɡ/ and /r/ requires precise articulation to avoid sounding like ‘a-gree’ with a keyless start. Additionally, linking in connected speech can blur the boundary between /ə/ and /ɡr/ if the following word starts with a consonant, so you need to maintain the bimoraic rhythm and avoid a reduced /ɡr/ transition.
A useful tip is to practice the two-key anchor: keep the schwa relaxed and open the mouth just enough to initiate /ɡ/ cleanly. Then transition to /riː/ with the tip of the tongue close to the alveolar ridge and a slight, controlled lip rounding for the /iː/. Visualize narrowing to a two-beat rhythm: /ə/ then /ɡriː/. Practicing with a phrase like ‘I would, I agree’ helps you keep the breath and stress aligned while avoiding a clipped first syllable.
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Agree comes from Middle English agreen, from Old French agreer, from a- (toward) + greer (to please, please) probably from Latin placere ‘to please’. The verb sense “to consent” emerged in the 14th–15th centuries as European languages developed a notion of harmonizing opinions in councils and agreements. The root idea is making two parties “toward” each other in satisfaction, yielding assent or concurrence. Over time, the spelling stabilized to agree in English, with the phrase agreement evolving as a noun from the verb. In usage, you’ll notice a shift from “to please” in the Latin sense to “to concur or approve” in modern English. The word has remained semantically stable in the sense of positive confirmation, though it also extended to phrases like “agree with himself” in more archaic or formal registers. The first known uses in English literature appear in the late Middle Ages, with the sense of reaching consensus becoming common in early modern legal and diplomatic texts, reflecting its social function in discourse and governance.
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Words that rhyme with "Agree"
-are sounds
-air sounds
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