2 syllables: cold, ly. Stress on cold.
KOHLD-lee
/ˈkoʊldli/
coldly is pronounced KOHLD-lee (/ˈkoʊldli/). It has two syllables (cold-ly), with the stress on "cold". Coldly is an adverb describing a lack of warmth in manner, tone, or feeling. It conveys emotional distance or calculated restraint, often implying dispassion or hardness. In speech, it can carry nuance beyond the literal meaning, highlighting the speaker’s attitude or response as unfeeling rather than simply cool in temperature.
Coldly is an adverb describing a lack of warmth in manner, tone, or feeling. It conveys emotional distance or calculated restraint, often implying dispassion or hardness. In speech, it can carry nuance beyond the literal meaning, highlighting the speaker’s attitude or response as unfeeling rather than simply cool in temperature.
- You might drop or merge the /ld/ cluster in fast speech, producing /ˈkoʊli/ or /ˈkoʊld̟i/; slow it down and articulate the /l/ and /d/ distinctly before the /li/ continuation. - Another frequent error is weakening the second syllable; keep the /li/ as a clear, light tone rather than a swallowed vowel. - Some speakers transfer a US /ɹ/ or UK /ɹ/ influence to the first syllable unintentionally; focus on a clean /koʊld/ without added rhoticity. Practice with finger taps to ensure even rhythm.
"She answered coldly, without looking up from her desk."
"The verdict was delivered coldly, leaving no room for consolation."
"He spoke coldly about the incident, choosing his words with precision."
Pronounce as COULD-lee with primary stress on the first syllable: /ˈkoʊld.li/ (US) or /ˈkəʊl(d)li/ (UK). The first syllable rhymes with 'bold' and 'gold' but ends with a light 'ld' blend; the second syllable is a clear 'lee' with a light, unstressed schwa-like ory vowel in rapid speech. Mouth: start with a rounded, closed jaw for /koʊld/ then release into /li/ with a forward tongue and a relaxed, smile-like lips for the /i/. Audio reference: listen to native speakers saying “coldly” in recordings and imitate the rhythm.”,
Common errors: (1) Misplacing stress as two-syllable with even emphasis; keep primary stress on the first syllable: /ˈkoʊld.li/. (2) Slurring the /ld/ cluster into a simple /l/ or /d/, resulting in /ˈkoʊli/; ensure the /ld/ is audible by holding the tongue at the alveolar ridge for a brief moment before the next vowel. (3) Not articulating the second syllable /li/ clearly, especially in rapid speech; keep the /l/ as a clear light contact and end with a crisp /i/. Correct with targeted practice: exaggerate the /ld/ in isolation, then smoothly glide into /li/.”,
US: /ˈkoʊld.li/ with rhotic vowel in /oʊ/ and a strong /ld/; UK: /ˈkəʊld.li/ with /əʊ/ and a more centralized first syllable, sometimes a lighter /l/; AU: similar to UK but with a flatter, more diphthongal /oʊ/ or /əʊ/ and a slightly reduced second syllable in fast speech. Overall, rhoticity is minimal in UK/AU; US keeps a more pronounced /r/ influence only in rhotic regions if present, not typical here. IPA references align with /ˈkoʊld.li/ (US) and /ˈkəʊld.li/ (UK/AU).
It challenges you to coordinate an exact /koʊld/ cluster and then a precise /li/ at speed without adding vowels or reducing the /ld/ blend. The main difficulty lies in maintaining the crisp /ld/ junction while not letting the following /l/ become syllabic or the second syllable weaken into a schwa. Practicing the full sequence slowly, then increasing speed, helps stabilize the timing and mouth positions. IPA awareness and jaw-tongue coordination are key; focus on keeping the first syllable compact and the second syllable clearly light.
A unique aspect is that there is no silent letter; all letters contribute to the syllable structure. The primary stress falls on the first syllable /koʊld/, and the second syllable /li/ is unstressed. The /l/ and /d/ are fully articulated in the first syllable as a consonant cluster before the syllable boundary, a detail that often gets glossed over in rapid speech. Emphasize the release after /d/ and the clean onset of /li/ to maintain clarity.
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- US: maintain full /oʊ/ diphthong with a crisp /ld/; end the first syllable with a definitive /d/ and transition to a clear /li/; IPA: /ˈkoʊldli/. - UK: the first syllable may be slightly less rounded with /əʊ/; keep /ld/ sharp; second syllable /li/ remains unstressed; - AU: similar to UK, but with a subtly flatter /oʊ/ or /əʊ/ and a lighter /l/; keep the second syllable short.
Coldly derives from the adjective cold, dating back to Old English culde or cald (cold) from Proto-Germanic *kaldaz, related to Dutch koud and German kalt. The suffix -ly is from Old English -lice or -liċe (like, in the manner of), forming adverbs from adjectives. The modern adverb formation developed in Middle English as -ly became a productive suffix to indicate manner. The semantic shift from literal temperature to figurative distance (emotional or relational) emerged in the 14th–16th centuries, with writers using cold to describe behavior or tone, then -ly to indicate the manner of that behavior. First known uses appear in Middle English texts where “coldly” describes actions performed without warmth, quickly expanding to social and emotional contexts in Early Modern English. Over time, “coldly” sharpened its contrast with “warmly,” becoming a stable adverb in modern English that frequently collocates with verbs of speaking and acting (talk, respond, treat). The word’s evolution reflects broader patterns in English where sensory adjectives extend to affective meanings via metaphor and evaluative language.
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Words that rhyme with "coldly"
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