2 syllables: Mer, ry. Stress on Mer.
MER-ee
/ˈmɛɹi/
Merry is pronounced MER-ee (/ˈmɛɹi/). It has two syllables (Mer-ry), with the stress on "Mer". Merry is an adjective meaning glad or cheerful, often used to describe festive occasions or a light-hearted mood. It conveys a sense of joyful but informal happiness and is commonly found in expressions like “Merry Christmas.” The word can also describe a lively, pleasing effect in sounds or circumstances. It’s typically used in everyday speech and writing to denote positive emotion.
adjectiveMerry is an adjective meaning glad or cheerful, often used to describe festive occasions or a light-hearted mood. It conveys a sense of joyful but informal happiness and is commonly found in expressions like “Merry Christmas.” The word can also describe a lively, pleasing effect in sounds or circumstances. It’s typically used in everyday speech and writing to denote positive emotion.
- Common issues: • Overemphasis on the second syllable, turning /i/ into a longer vowel; aim for a clipped end: /ˈmɛr.i/. • Mispronouncing the first vowel as /æ/ (like “man”) instead of /ɛ/ (like “mess”). Practice with the /ɛ/ sound in “bet” then quickly glide into /r/. • Non-rhotic tendencies where the /r/ is not pronounced in the first syllable, especially before a consonant; ensure you release a light /ɹ/ before the /i/. - Corrections: • Drill the clean /ˈmɛr/ cluster, then add a short /i/ with minimal delay. • Use shadowing of native speakers, focusing on the precise mouth position: tip of tongue near alveolar ridge, slight lip rounding, and quick flex of the tongue for the /ɹ/. • Record and compare: listen for the crisp /r/ and a quick, lightly stressed second syllable. Adjust tempo to 60-70 BPM in drills before 100-120 BPM when confident.
"We had a merry dinner with friends last night."
"They wore bright hats and sang merry tunes at the festival."
"The crowd grew merry as the fireworks lit up the sky."
Pronounce it as two syllables with primary stress on the first: /ˈmɛr.i/. The first syllable starts with a mid-front vowel /ɛ/ as in “bet,” followed by a clear /r/ in rhotic accents, then a short, unstressed /i/ as in “kit.” Keep the /r/ light and avoid adding a second, separate vowel sound. You can think “MAIR-ee” but with a shorter second vowel. Audio resources: try Cambridge/Forvo pronunciations for models.
Common mistakes include turning the first syllable into a lax /æ/ as in “man,” giving /ˈmæri/; over-suppressing the /r/ making it non-rhotic like /ˈmeɪ.i/; and lengthening the second syllable inadvertently to /ˈmɛr.iː/. To correct: keep /ɛ/ in the first syllable, articulate a quick /r/ before the final /i/, and end with a short, clipped /i/. Practice with minimal pairs like /ˈmɛr/ vs /ˈmɛɹi/ focusing on duration and rhotic quality.
US/UK/AU all share the /ˈmɛr.i/ pattern, but rhoticity affects the /r/. US and many AU speakers pronounce a rhotic /ɹ/ in the coda of the first syllable, giving a slightly more pronounced /r/; UK tends toward a non-rhotic approach, with a weaker or absent post-vocalic /r/ and a crisper /ˈmɛri/. Vowel quality can also shift slightly: US often has a clearer /ɛ/ and shorter /i/, UK may have a tighter /e/ in some dialects, and AU can show a broader vowel in the first syllable. IPA references reinforce these nuances.
The challenge lies in the concise two-syllable structure where the /r/ must be clearly sounded without turning the second syllable into a separate vowel; and the short, unstressed final /i/ can undermine clarity if lengthened or reduced too far. Balancing the rhotic /r/ with the quick, light /i/ requires precise tongue position—tip near the alveolar ridge without excessive rounding. Mastery comes from practicing the transition between /r/ and /i/ and maintaining the stress on the first syllable while keeping the second syllable clipped.
A distinctive aspect is the tight pair of vowels in a rapid sequence without a conspicuous consonant between them. The first syllable contains /ɛ/ with a trailing rhotic /r/ juice, while the second syllable uses a short, unstressed /i/. The lack of a ghost consonant between syllables means you should avoid separating the vowels with extra glottal or vowel sounds. Focus on a smooth, quick transfer from /r/ to /i/ while maintaining primary stress on /ˈmɛr/.
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- US: rhotic /ɹ/ is robust; ensure the tongue tip slightly curled up or behind the alveolar ridge, with a small air stream around the sides. The first vowel /ɛ/ is mid-front; keep the jaw fairly open, lips relaxed. UK: often more non-rhotic in careful speech; the /ɹ/ is lighter or omitted before vowels—focus on a soft, vowel-to-vowel transition without a heavy /r/ sound. AU: tends to be a flatter /ɹ/ with less retroflexion; keep the /ɛ/ quality and avoid over-raising the tongue. IPA references: US /ˈmɛɹi/; UK /ˈmeɹi/ (non-rhotic variants); AU /ˈmɛɹi/ with slight vowel broadening. Practice with minimal pairs to feel the rhotic difference and vowel height adjustments.
Merry originates from the Old English myrge (merry, pleasant, joyful), related to the Proto-Germanic mergijanan, with cognates in Dutch vrolijk and German merrig. Its sense of joy and brightness evolved through Middle English into modern use, often linked to festive or celebratory contexts. By the 14th century, merry referred to lively, lively-hearted behavior and amusements, expanding to describe both people and occasions. The semantic shift toward “cheerful” or “pleasant” persisted into contemporary usage, with idioms like “Merry Christmas” popularizing a seasonal sense. The word’s phonology has remained relatively stable, maintaining the two-syllable pattern with stress on the first syllable in general use. First known use examples appear in early Middle English texts, where writers depicted feasting, singing, and general good humor associated with merriment.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Merry" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "Merry" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "Merry"
-rry sounds
-ary sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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