Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

to the letter

Word Rarity Uncommon

Frequency: Zipf frequency 4.95 in modern English

Syllables: to the let-ter
IPA

14

Scrabble Score

11

Letters

2

Syllables

6

Unique Chars

Meaning

adv

Literally, exactly, following the rules as written.

Example Sentences

"You should follow what your boss said to the letter. Otherwise, you'll lose your job."
"Capello warned his players that caution was not an option as they went in search of the result that would take England to Euro 2012. And his message was carried out to the letter in the opening exchanges as England played with a tempo and threat Montenegro struggled to subdue."

Phrases

by the book by the numbers letter of the law

Frequently Paired Words

by the book by the numbers letter of the law literalism without fail

Synonyms

to a t just right to perfection

Questions

What does to the letter mean?: Literally, exactly, following the rules as written.

How to pronounce to the letter

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