How to pronounce "grey" in English
ɡreɪ
GRAY
Primary stress: GRAY
Hear native speakers say grey in context across real video clips
Linguistic Pronunciation Masterclass: “grey”
Phonetic mechanics, syllable architecture, and conversational cadence
Syllable Architecture & Stress Distribution
GRAY
Gliding diphthong with sustained vocal resonance.
As a single-syllable word, "grey" receives full primary stress when spoken in isolation, though it may take a reduced weak form in connected speech when acting as a function word.
Common Pronunciation Traps & Learner Mistakes
The Trap: Single-syllable words like "grey" carry primary acoustic prominence in isolation, but can be swallowed in rapid connected speech.
How Native Speakers Say It: Sustain vowel clarity without rushing into the trailing consonant. Elevate pitch slightly when "grey" carries the primary contrast or new information in a sentence.
Connected Speech & Natural Conversational Flow
When "grey" is followed by a word starting with a vowel, glide the final consonant into the opening vowel (e.g. "grey is" sounds like "grey-iz").
In natural sentences, avoid over-stressing "grey" unless it conveys the core contrast or focal point of your message.
Authentic Spoken Quotes from Native Video Context
“Grey gold, the over 50s the veterans, the problem solvers, the gangsters who are out there”— TEDx TalksWatch clip
“Grey matter atrophy. And the spinal cord study looking at the, the arrangement of pain fibres in using the intact volumetric approach to actually see which fibres are crossing at midline.”— StanfordWatch clip
“Grey kangaroo. He's being raised by animal rescuers”— Smithsonian ChannelWatch clip
“Grey's Anatomy no one can agree on my”— WIREDWatch clip
“Grey snapper spend about the first month of their lives floating around in the ocean as tiny larvae, about the size of a pencil-top eraser.”— SciShowWatch clip
“grey you can look out over the harbor and I think to yourself how much you'd rather be somewhere else”— Native SpeakerWatch clip
Practice Speaking “grey”
Listen to native pronunciation, record yourself repeating the sentence into your microphone, and receive real-time word-by-word accuracy scoring.
Grey gold, the over 50s the veterans, the problem solvers, the gangsters who are out there
Hear it in context: “grey”
1,470 clipsThe English word “grey” is transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) as ɡreɪ (phonetic respelling: GRAY). Phonologically, it consists of 1 syllable (GRAY), pronounced as a single stressed monosyllable. Grammatically, “grey” functions as a adjective, verb, noun and acts as an English heteronym where syllable stress shifts between noun (initial-syllable stress) and verb (second-syllable stress) usage. SayItVid indexes 1,470 authentic English video clips demonstrating how native speakers articulate “grey” in natural connected speech across American (US: 8 sampled), British (UK), and Australian (AUS) accents, including verified broadcasts from TEDx Talks, Stanford, Smithsonian Channel.
Spoken Video Transcripts & Contextual Quotes (5 Verified Clips)
- 🇺🇸 USTEDx TalksClip #1 · @1:06
“what I call our grey gold. Grey gold, the over 50s the veterans, the problem solvers, the gangsters who are out there the gangsters who are out there”
- 🇺🇸 USStanfordClip #2 · @35:57
“Looking at mouse models of multiple sclerosis in, in detail. Grey matter atrophy. And the spinal cord study looking at the, the arrangement of pain fibres in using the intact volumetric approach to actually see which fibres are crossing at midline. And the spinal cord study looking at the, the arrangement of pain fibres in using”
- 🇺🇸 USSmithsonian ChannelClip #3 · @0:17
“Wales, lives Buggy, an orphaned Eastern Grey kangaroo. He's being raised by animal rescuers He's being raised by animal rescuers”
- 🇺🇸 USWIREDClip #4 · @20:58
“stretch multidisciplinary discussions Grey's Anatomy no one can agree on my story there are definitely conversations”
- 🇺🇸 USSciShowClip #5 · @5:53
“might just be their way of snuggling up close to one another. Grey snapper spend about the first month of their lives floating around in the ocean as tiny larvae, about the size of a pencil-top eraser. floating around in the ocean as tiny larvae,”
Definition & Meaning: “grey”
- Commonwealth standard spelling of gray.
- Synonym of coloured (pertaining to the mixed race of black and white).
- Commonwealth standard spelling of gray.
- Commonwealth standard spelling of gray.
Example Sentences (3)
- “These grey and dun colors may be also produced by mixing whites and blacks.”
- “Now only a few hand-hewn cedar planks and roof beams remained, moss-grown and sagging—a few totem poles, greyed and split.”
- “Grey gold, the over 50s the veterans, the problem solvers, the gangsters who are out there”
Common Phrases & Collocations
Pronounce: “grey”
- Pronunciation:
- GRAY
- Syllables:
- GRAY
- Written Hyphenation:
- grey
- Primary stress:
- GRAY
- IPA:
- ɡreɪ
- Hear it in context
- grey
Synonyms: “grey”
Hear words related in meaning to “grey” in real video clips:
Words that Rhyme with “grey”
-eɪWords that Sound Identical (Homophones)
Unique Sound"grey" (⁄ɡreɪ⁄) has no true homophones in standard English — there are no other words with identical pronunciation. Unlike sound-alike pairs like there / their or peace / piece, "grey" has a completely distinct phonetic identity.
Frequently asked questions about grey
How do you pronounce “grey”?
“grey” is pronounced ⁄ɡreɪ⁄ (GRAY). Listen to the native-speaker clips above to hear it in real conversation.
Where is the stress in “grey”?
The primary stress in “grey” is on “GRAY”. Listen for that stressed syllable in the clips above.
What does “grey” mean?
Commonwealth standard spelling of gray.
How can I hear “grey” used in real sentences?
This page has 1470 real-world video examples of “grey” with synchronized subtitles. Use Previous / Next (or ← / → keys) to hear each one at the exact moment it is spoken.
What is the most common pronunciation mistake when saying “grey”?
Single-syllable words like "grey" carry primary acoustic prominence in isolation, but can be swallowed in rapid connected speech. Sustain vowel clarity without rushing into the trailing consonant. Elevate pitch slightly when "grey" carries the primary contrast or new information in a sentence.