REE-zuh-nuh-blee
/ˈɹizənəbli/
reasonably is pronounced REE-zuh-nuh-blee (/ˈɹizənəbli/). Reasonably describes something that is fair, sensible, and within practical bounds. It implies a decent degree of likelihood or sufficiency, often suggesting adequacy without excess. In usage, it can quantify expectations or judgments in a measured, prudent way.
Reasonably describes something that is fair, sensible, and within practical bounds. It implies a decent degree of likelihood or sufficiency, often suggesting adequacy without excess. In usage, it can quantify expectations or judgments in a measured, prudent way.
"The project should be completed on a reasonably tight schedule."
"We should expect reasonably good results from the experiment."
"He is reasonably sure that the plan will work, given past data."
Reasonably is pronounced /ˈriː.zən.ə.bli/ in US and UK accents, with primary stress on the first syllable. Start with /ˈriː/ as in “reed,” then /ˈzə/ as in “zuh,” followed by /nə/ as in “nuh,” and end with /bli/ like “blee.” Make sure the vowels are long in the first syllable and reduced in the middle, maintaining smooth linking between syllables.
Common errors include compressing the middle syllables into a single schwa-block (/ˈriː.zən.ə.bli/ to /ˈriː.zən.ə.bli/ with mis-stressed or slurred syllables) and misplacing stress, saying /ˈriː.zənˌæ.bli/ or /ˌriː.zənˈə.bli/. Another frequent mistake is pronouncing the final -ly as a hard /li/ instead of the reduced /bli/ sound. Correction: maintain the full /ˈriː.zən.ə.bli/ with clear, unstressed middle and a crisp final /bli/.”
In US English, you’ll hear primary stress on the first syllable with clear long /iː/ in /ˈriː/. In UK English, /ˈriː.zən.ə.bli/ can have a shorter first vowel and slightly more clipped second syllable; rhoticity is less pronounced in some southern varieties. Australian English tends to be similar to UK but with a flatter vowel in /riː/ and a more centralized /ə/ in the middle. Overall, vowel length and rhoticity influence perceived variance across regions.
The difficulty comes from the multi-syllabic rhythm and the need to maintain a light, unstressed center syllable while preserving a strong initial stress. Specifically, the middle /ə/ is reduced and connected quickly to /bli/, which can cause linking mistakes or a mispronounced final /bli/. Beginners often insert an extra syllable or mis-tap the /z/ and /n/ sequence. Focus on even, deliberate transitions between syllables.
In reasonably, the first syllable carries a long /iː/ sound, as in /riː/ (reed). The spelling 'ea' here corresponds to the long vowel /iː/ sound phonetically, not a short /e/. So you should produce /ˈriː/ rather than /ˈrɛ/ or /ˈrɪ/. This aligns with most standard pronunciations across US, UK, and AU varieties.
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Reasonably comes from the adjective reasonable, formed from Old French raisonnable, from Latin rationabilis ‘able to reckon, reasonable,’ from ratio ‘method, calculation.’ The suffix -able yields ‘able to be,’ becoming reasonably to describe manner or degree. The word’s semantic drift centers on a prudent level or degree of appropriateness. In Middle English, “reason” denoted consideration or judgment; by the 14th–15th centuries, reasonable referred to grounded in reason, fair and moderate. Reasonably, as an adverbial extension, emerged to describe actions performed in a manner that is reasonable—adequate, acceptable, or sensible. Through the 18th–19th centuries, it broadened to qualify statements with caveats of moderation, often signaling “to a good enough degree” rather than absolute certainty. First known uses appear in legal and philosophical texts where moderation and sufficiency were emphasized, evolving into common usage in everyday speech to temper claims and expectations. In modern English, reasonably is a versatile adverb indicating sufficiency, fairness, or plausibility, frequently paired with probability or degree (reasonably well, reasonably enough). The word mirrors the culture’s emphasis on measured judgment and practicality, retaining a clear lineage from Latin roots through Romance languages into contemporary usage.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "reasonably" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "reasonably"
-bly sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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