2 syllables: dead, ly. Stress on dead.
DED-lee
/ˈdɛdli/
deadly is pronounced DED-lee (/ˈdɛdli/). It has two syllables (dead-ly), with the stress on "dead". Deadly is an adjective meaning capable of causing death or extremely dangerous. It can also describe something very impressive or effective in informal usage. The core sense remains risk-related, often used in phrases like deadly weapon or a deadly mistake, conveying severe harm or potency beyond ordinary severity.
Deadly is an adjective meaning capable of causing death or extremely dangerous. It can also describe something very impressive or effective in informal usage. The core sense remains risk-related, often used in phrases like deadly weapon or a deadly mistake, conveying severe harm or potency beyond ordinary severity.
"The venom of that spider is deadly to humans."
"It was a deadly quiet night, every sound muffled by the snow."
"The crime scene yielded a deadly combination of skill and speed."
Pronounce as two syllables: /ˈdɛd.li/. The first syllable has the stressed short-e vowel /ɛ/ as in 'bed', followed by a light 'd' consonant, then a clear 'l' onset for the second syllable, with a short, unstressed 'i' /i/ vowel. Mouth: lips relaxed, tongue high-mid for /ɛ/ and blade of the tongue touches the alveolar ridge for /d/, then the tongue tips near the alveolar ridge again for /l/. You’ll want a crisp /d/ and a clean /l/ without vocalizing the second syllable. Audio reference: think of standard American pronunciations like Cambridge or Forvo entries for deadly.
Two common errors: 1) Slurring into a single syllable (da-dly) by missing the /d/ or /l/ separation. 2) Merging vowels into a single schwa sound or making the second syllable too long (di-lee). Correction: clearly articulate /ˈdɛd/ with a strong stop for /d/ and then release into /li/ with a crisp /l/ and a shorter /i/; keep the second syllable lighter than the first. Practice with a 2-syllable rhythm: /ˈdɛd.li/.
US/UK/AU share the two-syllable /ˈdɛd.li/ pattern, but vowels can vary slightly. US tends to shorter, tenser /ɛ/ in /dɛd/. UK may show marginally thicker /eə/? Not usually; most are closer to /ˈdɛd.li/. Rhoticity is not a major factor here since /ˈdɛd.li/ is non-rhotic in some UK dialects when following consonants but not relevant. Australian English often aligns with US vowel quality in this word, with crisp /d/ and light /l/. Overall, the main variation is subtle vowel length and vowel quality; stress remains on the first syllable. IPA reference: US /ˈdɛd.li/, UK /ˈdɛd.li/, AU /ˈdɛd.li/.
Two main challenges: 1) The /d/ + /l/ sequence in two syllables can blur when spoken quickly; keep the alveolar stop /d/ fully released before the /l/ onset. 2) The /ɛ/ vowel in stressed syllable can vary between speakers; aim for a crisp short e, not a lax schwa. Keeping the two separate syllables and a distinct /l/ helps maintain clarity. IPA guidance: /ˈdɛd.li/ with clear /d/ and /l/ articulation and stable vowel height in /ɛ/.
The key unique aspect is the two-stressed-syllable rhythm where the initial /d/ must be released clearly before the /l/ becomes the onset of the second syllable. This makes sure listeners hear both syllables distinctly rather than a slurred, single beat. Emphasize crisp alveolar stop /d/ and a clean lateral /l/ to retain the word’s characteristic two-beat cadence. IPA: /ˈdɛd.li/.
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Deadly derives from the Old English word deadlīc, formed from dead (death) + -līc (-ly, relating to). The root word deadly is related to death and harm, and over time acquired a broader figurative sense describing anything extremely intense or dangerous. The sense of causing death is attested in early Germanic languages, with cognates appearing across Old Norse and Gothic. The modern form emerged in Middle English, with -ly as a suffix turning a noun or noun-adjacent concept into an adjective describing degree or tendency. By the 16th–17th centuries, deadly began to be used in more figurative phrases (e.g., deadly serious, deadly blow). The compound “deadly” often emphasizes extremity rather than probability, which explains its colloquial extension to mean “very good” or “outstanding” in some dialects. First known use as an adjective related to danger appears in medieval texts, evolving through early modern times to its current dual sense of threat and intensity in contemporary English.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "deadly" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "deadly"
-ity sounds
-ely sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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