3 syllables: Stealth, i, ly. Stress on Stealth.
STEL-thil-ee
/ˈstɛlθɪli/
Stealthily is pronounced STEL-thil-ee (/ˈstɛlθɪli/). It has three syllables (Stealth-i-ly), with the stress on "Stealth". Stealthily is an adverb describing actions done in a stealthy, quiet, or unobtrusive manner, typically to avoid detection. It implies careful, almost covert movement or behavior. Used to emphasize the manner of doing something rather than the action itself, often in suspenseful or careful contexts.
adverbStealthily is an adverb describing actions done in a stealthy, quiet, or unobtrusive manner, typically to avoid detection. It implies careful, almost covert movement or behavior. Used to emphasize the manner of doing something rather than the action itself, often in suspenseful or careful contexts.
How to Pronounce Stealthily
"She crept stealthily along the corridor, careful not to wake anyone."
"The cat moved stealthily across the room, eyes fixed on the bird."
"He spoke stealthily, lowering his voice to avoid being overheard."
Stealthily is pronounced /ˈstɛl.θi.li/ in US/UK/AU varieties. It starts with STEL as in ‘steel’ but with a short e (/ɛ/), followed by the dental fricative /θ/ in -th-, then an /i/ vowel for the -i-, and a final -ly /li/. The primary stress is on the first syllable: STEALTH-i-ly. Practically: start with a firm /st/ cluster, then the /ɛ/ vowel, bring the tongue to a dental position for /θ/, release into /i/ and end with a light /li/.
Common errors include mispronouncing the /θ/ as /f/ or /t/ ('stel-fi-lee'), or turning the vowel into /æ/ (like 'stealth-uh-lee'). Another mistake is reducing the -ly ending to /lɪ/ or /li/ with weak articulation. Correct by maintaining a clear /θ/ between the /st/ and /i/, giving the /i/ its full quality, and ensuring the /l/ is light but present before /i/.
In US/UK/AU, the core sounds stay /ˈstɛl.θi.li/; rhotics are not involved here since the word ends in -li. The main accent difference is vowel duration and aspiration: US often has slightly tenser /ɛ/ and crisper /t/; UK may have a sharper /t/ and more clipped overall; AU tends to be similar to UK but with a more centralized vowel quality in some speakers. All maintain the dental fricative /θ/.
Stealthily is challenging due to the /θ/ dental fricative placed after a consonant cluster /st/, which can slow the transition from /s/ to /θ/ and create a reduction risk on the following /i/. The sequence /əl.θi/ requires precise tongue positioning to avoid substituting /t/ or /s/ and to keep the final /li/ audible. Practicing the /θ/ in isolation before moving to the full word helps maintain accuracy.
No, 'stealthily' never has a silent letter in standard pronunciation. The /θ/ is not silent; it’s a required dental fricative in the middle. The syllable boundaries are clear, and all letters contribute to the pronunciation: s-t-e-a-l-t-h-i-l-y with the /ˈstɛl.θi.li/ rhythm.
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Stealthily comes from stealth, which derives from Old English steall (place, position) and related words concerning concealment and secrecy, though the modern sense of stealth as concealment and covert movement evolved in Middle English via Old Norse influences and the concept of stealth as a metaphor for silent, careful movement. The suffix -ily forms adverbs from adjectives, here from stealthy (stealth + y). The root stealth originally conveyed “hiddenness” and “secrecy”; by the 16th–17th centuries, stealth gained broader usage in English to describe acts done in a way designed to avoid detection. Stealthy behavior is rooted in the idea of minimizing sound, visibility, and notice, which then extended to the adverb stealthily describing the manner of action rather than the action itself. Early attestations of stealthy behavior appear in literary and military contexts, with stealthily used to depict cautious, almost silent approaches. The word has remained stable in modern English, retaining a negative or cautionary nuance when applied to actions that evade detection, often in narrative, thriller, or investigative contexts.
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Words that rhyme with "Stealthily"
-ily sounds
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