4 syllables: a, gree, a, bly. Stress on gree.
uh-GREE-uh-blee
/əˈɡɹiːəbli/
agreeably is pronounced uh-GREE-uh-blee (/əˈɡɹiːəbli/). It has four syllables (a-gree-a-bly), with the stress on "gree". Agreeably means in a manner that is pleasant, favorable, or to a degree that is agreeable to others. It carries an implication of willingness or ease in agreement, often with a cooperative or agreeable attitude. The term is formal and often appears in written or polished speech.
Agreeably means in a manner that is pleasant, favorable, or to a degree that is agreeable to others. It carries an implication of willingness or ease in agreement, often with a cooperative or agreeable attitude. The term is formal and often appears in written or polished speech.
"She nodded agreeably when asked to join the project, signaling her willingness."
"The committee agreed, agreeably, to a compromise that satisfied most members."
"He spoke agreeably, choosing words that diffused tension rather than escalated it."
Pronounce as ə-GREE-ə-bli. The primary stress is on the second syllable, 'gree'. Start with a schwa, then /ɡriː/ as in 'gree' with a long ee, then a schwa, and end with /bli/ as in 'blee' without a strong final consonant. IPA: US/UK/AU: əˈɡriː.ə.bli. Listen for the crisp /ɡ/ onset and the long /iː/ in the stressed syllable.
Common errors: (1) Placing stress on the first syllable (A-grE-eably) which sounds off; (2) Slurring the middle /riː.ə/ into a quick /riə/ or omitting the /ə/ between /iː/ and /ə/; (3) Dropping the final -ly or turning it into -li. Correction: keep the secondary syllable crisp with /riː/ and insert the short /ə/ before the /bli/; ensure the final /bli/ has a clear /b/ onset and /li/ rather than /lɪ/.
US: /əˈɡriː.ə.bli/ with rhoticity intact and clear /r/. UK: /əˈɡriː.ə.bli/ similar, but non-rhotic tendencies may reduce post-vocalic r-like quality; vowel quality slightly tenser. AU: /əˈɡriː.ə.bli/ with flatter intonation and a slightly broader diphthong in /ɪə/ or lack thereof; often a more clipped ending. In all, the stress pattern remains two-syllable primary stress, but vowel purity and rhythm shift subtly by region.
The difficulty lies in managing multisyllabic rhythm and unstressed vowels. The sequence /əˈɡriː.ə.bli/ requires precise pronunciation of the long /iː/ in the stressed syllable, an audible /ə/ in the second unstressed vowel, and a clean /bli/ ending with clear /b/ and /l/ phonemes. Additionally, avoiding the tendency to run the syllables together (quick /riə/ or silent /ə/) helps preserve the word’s formal tone.
A unique aspect is the middle schwa vowel /ə/ between the stressed /riː/ and final /bli/. This intersyllabic schwa is easy to drop in casual speech, but it’s essential for maintaining the word’s formal, measured cadence. Keeping this /ə/ audible ensures the word doesn’t sound like a clipped 'agree-blee' and preserves its adverbial, refined character.
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Agreeably derives from the word agree, which comes from Old French agreer or Latin ad- + grat- (pleasing). The suffix -ably is from French -able, forming adverbial or adjectival meaning. The root word agree itself traces to Latin consentire, con- (together) + sentire (to feel, perceive). The sense of acting in a way that is in accord with the wishes or expectations of others coalesced in Middle English as agreeable, then the adverbial -ly form evolved to describe manner. First known use of agreeably appears in the 17th century English corpus, as writers sought an erudite, precise adverb to qualify actions that align with others’ preferences, rather than merely being pleasant. Over time, its usage broadened beyond formal rhetoric to everyday evaluative statements about behavior, tone, or approach that remains congenial and cooperative. The word often appears in legal, diplomatic, or literary contexts where tone and alignment with social norms matter.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "agreeably" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "agreeably"
-ily sounds
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