2 syllables: flur, ry. Stress on flur.
FLUR-ee
/ˈflɝi/
flurry is pronounced FLUR-ee (/ˈflɝi/). It has two syllables (flur-ry), with the stress on "flur". A rapid, swirling mass or outburst of activity, often brief and energetic. In everyday use, it describes a sudden rush of snow, leaves, or emotions, conveying movement and urgency rather than duration or magnitude.
A rapid, swirling mass or outburst of activity, often brief and energetic. In everyday use, it describes a sudden rush of snow, leaves, or emotions, conveying movement and urgency rather than duration or magnitude.
- You might tilt the first vowel toward an /ɪ/ or /ə/; correct by dropping jaw and producing a more open /ɜː/ or /ʌ/ sound with a crisp, short second syllable. - R-sound can be softened or omitted in non-rhotic dialects; ensure a clear /ɹ/ or /ɹ/ when in US; in UK, allow non-rhoticity but maintain second syllable clarity. - Speed in connected speech can cause the vowel to reduce; train with slow to normal to fast to ensure the first vowel remains prominent and the second syllable remains unstressed.
"A sudden flurry of snow drifted past the window."
"There was a flurry of activity as soon as the project deadline approached."
"She answered in a flurry of words, then paused to catch her breath."
You say FLUR-ee, with the primary stress on the first syllable. IPA US: /ˈflɜːri/; UK: /ˈflʌri/; AU: /ˈflɜːri/. Start with a broad, opened vowel in the first syllable, then a light, unstressed -y ending. The r-sound is rhotic in US, non-rhotic in some British dialects depending on context. Keep the /ɜː/ or /ʌ/ quality clear and shortness of the second syllable. Practicing by repeating “FLUR” then a quick “ee” helps lock in the rhythm.
Common mistakes: misplacing stress (pronouncing it as ‘flow-ree’ or ‘fl-oo-ree’), overpronouncing the second syllable, or turning the /ɜː/ into a lax /ɪ/ or /ə/. Correction: keep primary stress on the first syllable, use a mid-back rounded vowel for the first syllable (/ɜː/ or /ʌ/ depending on accent), and shorten the second syllable with a clear /i/ glide. Practice with /ˈflɜːri/ (US) or /ˈflʌri/ (UK) and ensure the second syllable remains unstressed and fast.
US: rhotic /ɜː/ or /ɜr/ in the first syllable; final /ri/ often pronounced quickly with light /i/. UK: typically /ˈflʌri/ with a shorter, more centralized /ʌ/ and non-rhotic r in some contexts, but when followed by a vowel, r can surface; AU: /ˈflɜːri/ similar to US but with Australian vowel qualities and less rhoticity in connected speech. In connected speech, flapping may affect surrounding sounds, but /ˈflɜːri/ remains distinguishable as two syllables.
The difficulty lies in balancing the short, tense first vowel with a crisp, unstressed second syllable. The /ɜː/ (US) or /ʌ/ (UK) vowel in the first syllable requires a mid-back tongue position, while the /ri/ sequence has a quick, high-front vowel with a soft /r/ that can blur into the following consonants in rapid speech. Proper mouth positioning and tempo are essential to avoid a mousey or drawn-out ending.
No silent letters in standard pronunciation. Each letter contributes a sound: f-l-u-r-r-y corresponds to /f/, /l/, /ɜː/ or /ʌ/, /ɹ/ (US) or /ɹ/ vocalization depending on dialect, and final /i/. The second r is pronouncing clearly as part of the rhotic r in US speech; in some British contexts, the r is less pronounced unless the next word starts with a vowel. Overall, emphasize the two-syllable rhythm and avoid reducing the first syllable.
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- US: emphasize rhotic /ɜː/ or /ɜr/, keep /ɹ/ crisp; short final /i/ at the end. - UK: more centralized /ʌ/ or /ə/ in the first syllable; non-rhotic r; ensure second syllable is short and rapid. - AU: /ˈflɜːri/ with Australian vowel qualities; keep r-coloring mild; maintain two-syllable rhythm. IPA references for each: US /ˈflɜːri/; UK /ˈflʌri/; AU /ˈflɜːri/. - Focus on mouth positions: start with rounded lips for /ɜː/ or /ʌ/ in the first vowel, mid tongue height; then a light, quick /ri/ with a relaxed jaw.
Flurry comes from the verb flurry, which in turn derives from Old English flurian, a blend of flur and -ian suffix; the word historically referred to a fluttering action. In Middle English, flurry carried the sense of a flutter or disorderly movement, especially of snow or snowdrifts, as well as a bustling activity. The semantic development broadened to describe any quick, noisy commotion or rush, not just weather phenomena, culminating in the modern sense of a brief, energetic burst. Its first known uses appear in early modern English texts, often connected with meteorological contexts (snow flurries) but evolving to metaphorical uses for sudden bursts of action or emotion. Over time, flurry acquired a slightly informal tone, frequently found in journalism and narrative prose to convey quick motion without implying lasting duration or scale. Contemporary usage maintains this blend of speed and brevity across both literal and figurative contexts.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "flurry" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "flurry"
-rry sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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