Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

squarely

/ˈskwɛɹ.li/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.16 in modern English

Syllables: square-ly
IPA: /ˈskwɛɹ.li/

20

Scrabble Score

8

Letters

2

Syllables

8

Unique Chars

Meaning

adv

In the shape of a square; at right angles.

adv

Firmly and solidly.

adv

In a direct, straightforward and honest manner.

Example Sentences

"“I stand squarely behind my decision,” he said, adding that he would not “shrink from my share of responsibility for where we are today.”"
"Conoco on Monday announced a $9.7 billion all-stock takeover of Concho Resources (CXO), a fracker squarely focused on the Permian Basin, the massive West Texas oilfield at the heart of the shale revolution."
"But Republicans placed the blame squarely on Mr. Biden."

Etymology

From square + -ly. First use appears c. 1557 in the writings of Robert Recorde.

Regional Pronunciation

American English: /ˈskwɛɹ.li/
British English: /ˈskwɛə(ɹ).li/

Inflected Forms

more squarely (comparative) most squarely (superlative)

Phrases

fairly and squarely

Synonyms

foursquare straightforwardly square forthrightly forthright

Rhymes With

fairly barely rarely unfairly fairley fairlie wehrli

Questions

How do you pronounce squarely?: The recorded pronunciation is /ˈskwɛɹ.li/.
What does squarely mean?: In the shape of a square; at right angles.
Where does squarely come from?: From square + -ly. First use appears c. 1557 in the writings of Robert Recorde.

How to pronounce squarely

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “squarely”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˈskwɛɹ.li/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “squarely”.
Repeat and practice — Say “squarely” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.