Pronunciation

How to pronounce “ways

“ways” is pronounced /weɪz/ (WAYZ) — one syllable.
The sound

Say “ways” in one beat

Say it like this

ways

/weɪz/

The voice you hear here is American; a British voice is available in the app's settings.

1 beat
  1. waysweɪz
IPA (American)
/weɪz/
IPA (British)
/weɪz/
Respelling
WAYZ
Syllables
1 — ways
Stress
One syllable, so the whole word carries the beat — say /weɪz/ in one unbroken piece rather than clipping the vowel.
Part of speech
noun
Difficulty
Beginner — most learners get this on the first take
Meaning

What “ways” means

  1. noun

    structure consisting of a sloping way down to the water from the place where ships are built or repaired

  2. noun

    how something is done or how it happens

    her dignified manner

  3. noun

    how a result is obtained or an end is achieved

    a means of control

Say it in a sentence

There are several ways to fix the leaking pipe.
Sound by sound

The sounds inside this word

3 sounds, in the order you say them

Each sound has its own page: where the tongue goes, what it is usually confused with, and words to drill it on.

Questions

ways”, answered

How do you pronounce “ways”?

“ways” is pronounced /weɪz/ (WAYZ) — one syllable. It is one unbroken piece — /weɪz/ — with no pause anywhere inside it.

How many syllables does “ways” have?

One, despite the 2 vowel letters in the spelling. The whole word is /weɪz/ — a single beat.

What does “ways” mean?

As a noun: structure consisting of a sloping way down to the water from the place where ships are built or repaired For example: “There are several ways to fix the leaking pipe.” It carries 2 other senses as well — all of them said the same way.

Where is the stress in “ways”?

One syllable, so the whole word carries the beat — say /weɪz/ in one unbroken piece rather than clipping the vowel.

Practise this word

Now say “ways” and see every sound

Record it once and sayit lines your audio up against the target sound by sound — what landed, what slipped, and what it sounded like instead.