Pronunciation guide

How to pronounce ennui

ahn-WEE - two syllables, stress at the end

US/ɑnˈwi/

ɑnwi

UK/ɒnˈwiː/

ɒnwiː

New to IPA symbols? Read the IPA guide.

Common mistake

Not 'EN-you-eye'; it is the French-style 'ahn-WEE'.

What “ennui” means

A gripping listlessness or melancholia caused by boredom; depression.

To make bored or listless; to weary.

In a sentence

  • A sense of ennui settled over the group after the long drought.
  • Her ennui led her to seek new adventures.

Say it out loud a few times, then check yourself.

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Definitions and examples are derived from Wiktionary, used under CC BY-SA 4.0, then edited by QuickPronounce. Pronunciation data draws on CMUdict.