WEYELD-lee
/ˈwaɪldli/
wildly is pronounced WEYELD-lee (/ˈwaɪldli/). Wildly means in a wild, uncontrolled, or extreme manner, often describing actions, emotions, or behavior that are unrestrained or reckless. It can also imply great intensity or extent, as in “wildly successful.” The term conveys a sense of lack of restraint, volatility, or exuberant energy. It is commonly used in both literal and figurative contexts.
Wildly means in a wild, uncontrolled, or extreme manner, often describing actions, emotions, or behavior that are unrestrained or reckless. It can also imply great intensity or extent, as in “wildly successful.” The term conveys a sense of lack of restraint, volatility, or exuberant energy. It is commonly used in both literal and figurative contexts.
- You’ll often blur the /ld/ into a single /l/ or /d/; keep both: /ld/ sequence with a small, quick release. - Some speakers reduce the second syllable too much, saying /waɪldlɪ/ or /ˈwaɪldə/; keep the final syllable clearly /li/ or /lɪ/ to preserve the two-syllable rhythm. - In fast speech, the /i/ may reduce; practice keeping it audible without elongation. - Don’t overemphasize the /w/ or /aɪ/; the natural prominence sits on /ɪ/ (in some accents) or the /aɪ/ onset; maintain a balanced onset and a crisp /ld/ cluster.
"She laughed wildly at the punchline, startling everyone around her."
"The storm raged wildly, leaving debris scattered across the town."
"Public opinion swung wildly from one extreme to another during the debate."
Say WAHYLD-lee, with primary stress on the first syllable: /ˈwaɪld.li/. Start with the diphthong /aɪ/ as in 'eye', then the /ld/ cluster forms a crisp stop and lateral blend, followed by a light /li/ syllable. Ensure the /d/ is not silent and the /ɪ/ reduces to a quick schwa in fast speech. In careful speech, you may hear a clear /i/ in the second syllable as /li/; in rapid speech, it can diminish to a near-schwa. Audio reference: [pronounce] resources align with /ˈwaɪld.li/.
Common errors: (1) Slurring the /ld/ into a simple /l/ or /d/; (2) Reducing the first syllable too much, making it 'wild/lee' instead of 'WAHYLD-lee'; (3) Dropping or weakening the /i/ in the second syllable. Correction: practice the /ld/ cluster with a crisp alveolar stop followed by a clear lateral /l/, then insert a distinct, unstressed /i/ or /ɪ/ in the second syllable. Emphasize the /waɪ/ onset before the /ld/ to maintain the word’s characteristic rhythm.
US: rhotic, with a strong /r/ none; actually wildly does not contain /r/. US typically: /ˈwaɪld.li/ with clear /ɪ/ or /i/ in second syllable and a lightly released /d/. UK: similar onset but vowel quality of /waɪ/ may be a touch more centralized; the final /li/ can be shorter; non-rhoticity is not relevant here. AU: often very clipped after the /ld/; the /i/ in second syllable may be reduced further in casual speech, sometimes sounding closer to /li/ or /lɪ/. The key is maintaining /waɪld/ vs a softer /wɪld/.
Difficulties stem from the /waɪ/ diphthong followed by the dense /ld/ cluster; the tongue must transition quickly from a high front vowel to an alveolar stop + lateral /l/ sequence, then to a syllable with a light /i/ or reduced vowel. The cluster can create a 'sandwich' effect where the /l/ and /d/ must be distinct yet fluid in connected speech. Also, rapid speech can blur the /i/ and weaken the second syllable; focus on keeping /li/ audible.
A notable feature is the two-syllable rhythm with a strong primary stress on the first syllable: WAHYLD-lee. The /ld/ cluster is more prominent than a typical /l/ or /d/; ensure your tongue makes a crisp contact for /d/ and lets the /l/ form a clean lateral release. In careful speech, maintain a distinct /i/ in the second syllable; in faster speech, the /i/ may reduce, but the /i/ in /li/ should remain distinguishable.
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- US: final /li/ often very light; non-rhoticity isn’t relevant here. Ensure you retain the /ɪ/ or /i/ quality in the second syllable and avoid reducing the /ld/ to a single consonant. - UK: may be slightly more clipped; keep the /aɪ/ diphthong clear and the /ld/ contact precise; second syllable can be shorter but audible. - AU: tends to be more clipped with faster tempos; maintain a crisp /ld/; second syllable may reduce to /lɪ/ or /li/ depending on speed; IPA guidance remains /ˈwaɪld.li/.
Wildly derives from wild, which in Old English was wilde, from Germanic roots akin to proto-Germanic woldijaz meaning ‘of the forest, wild, savage.’ The suffix -ly first appeared in Middle English as a productive adverbial ending, transforming adjectives into adverbs meaning ‘in a manner’ or ‘to a great extent.’ The semantic shift from “in the wild way” to the figurative intensifier sense developed over centuries, reinforced by literature and idiomatic usage. By early modern English, wildly was established as the standard adverb form to convey intensity or lack of restraint, often paired with actions or emotions rather than physical landscapes. The word’s usage expanded with metaphorical scope, from describing animals to human behavior, emotions, and statistical spread (e.g., wildly popular) as culture and media exploration intensified.
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Words that rhyme with "wildly"
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