2 syllables: drive, way. Stress on drive.
DREYEV-way
/ˈdɹaɪˌvweɪ/
driveway is pronounced DREYEV-way (/ˈdɹaɪˌvweɪ/). It has two syllables (drive-way), with the stress on "drive". Driveway refers to a short access road leading from a street to a building or garage. It is typically paved and used for parking or vehicle entry. The term combines 'drive' with 'way' and is widely used in North American contexts to denote a private path for vehicles adjacent to a residence.
Driveway refers to a short access road leading from a street to a building or garage. It is typically paved and used for parking or vehicle entry. The term combines 'drive' with 'way' and is widely used in North American contexts to denote a private path for vehicles adjacent to a residence.
- You often mispronounce the /d/ at the end of drive as a soft 'd' or lose it in the flow; ensure a crisp, audible stop before the /w/. - People sometimes merge the syllables too quickly, producing /ˈdraɪ.vweɪ/ instead of /ˈdraɪd.weɪ/; keep the /d/ released before the /w/. - The second syllable /weɪ/ can blur with the preceding /d/ if you don’t release the /d/ clearly; practice separating the segments briefly.
"We pulled into the driveway and parked the car."
"Her driveway was lined with maple trees."
"The homeowners widened the driveway to fit two cars."
Pronounce it as /ˈdraɪd.weɪ/ in broad transcription, with primary stress on the first syllable DRIVE. The first part is /draɪd/ as in 'drive', and the second is /weɪ/ as in 'way'. In connected speech you’ll hear it as /ˈdraɪd.weɪ/ with the /d/ lightly released before the /w/. Dash of IPA: /ˈdraɪvd.weɪ/ is also common in casual American speech where the /d/ links quickly to /w/.
Common errors include: 1) Not fully voicing the /d/—make sure you release a clear /d/ at the end of 'drive'. 2) Slurring the /d/ into /w/ so it sounds like /ˈdraɪvw-eɪ/—keep a brief stop before the /w/. 3) Misplacing stress or elongating the /eɪ/—keep a short /ɪ/ quality in 'drive' and a crisp /eɪ/ in 'way'. Focus on the GA /ˈdraɪd.weɪ/ rhythm.
In US, UK, and AU, the word maintains /ˈdraɪvdweɪ/ or /ˈdraɪvd.ɪweɪ/ with a clear /d/ betweendrive and way. The rhoticity of US accents does not affect stress, but non-rhotic UK varieties may link the final /eɪ/ with preceding consonants slightly differently, and Australian accents may show a softer vowel in /aɪ/ and a more lifted /eɪ/ due to Australian vowel shifts. Overall, the core first syllable /ˈdraɪd/ and second /weɪ/ remain consistent.
The difficulty lies in smoothly transitioning from the clear /d/ stop at the end of 'drive' to the high-front vowel /eɪ/ in 'way' while avoiding a vowel hiatus. Many speakers also unintentionally devoice or de-emphasize the final /eɪ/ in rapid speech, or insert an extra vowel between /d/ and /w/. Maintaining crisp articulation of /d/ and clean onset of /w/ helps a natural, native-sounding delivery.
A unique feature is the close adjacency of /d/ and /w/ in rapid speech. The tongue releases a brief /d/ then immediately routes air to form /w/ with lip rounding. In careful speech you’ll hear a tiny lip-closure transition: start with alveolar/tap-like release for the /d/ and then rapid bilabial rounding for /w/. This subtle transition helps avoid a lisp or an intrusive vowel.
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- In US English, emphasize the first syllable with a clear /ˈdraɪd/ and keep /weɪ/ short and clean; rhotic accents do not affect the spelling but may slightly alter vowel coloring. - UK English tends to be more clipped; maintain the /d/ stop, and the /weɪ/ should not be overly rounded. - Australian English often has a slightly backed /aɪ/ and a relaxed /eɪ/; keep the tongue high for /aɪ/ but avoid a trailing vowel. IPA references: US /ˈdraɪdv.weɪ/, UK /ˈdraɪd.weɪ/ is common, AU /ˈdraɪd.weɪ/.
The word driveway emerged in the 17th-18th century English-speaking world as a compound of drive and way. Historically, drive referred to a way or route for vehicles or horses, while way designated a path or road. The modern sense—an access route to a house or garage—developed in North America during the 19th and early 20th centuries with the rise of motorized vehicles and suburban housing. Initially, drive could denote the act of driving or a road, and way was a general term for a route; over time, the compound driveway became a specialized noun. First literary attestations appear in American and Canadian texts circa the late 1800s, with the term becoming ubiquitous in the mid-20th century as suburbs expanded and private home parking areas became standardized features in residential architecture.
💡 Etymology tip: Understanding word origins can help you remember pronunciation patterns and recognize related words in the same language family.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "driveway" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "driveway" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "driveway"
-igh sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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