Accrue means to accumulate or receive in increasing amounts over time, typically as a result of interest, profits, or advantages. It describes things that grow or be added gradually, often passively, until they become substantial. The term is common in finance, law, and formal writing, signaling gradual build-up rather than immediate receipt.
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Tips: exaggerate the first syllable weakly, then land the second with a full mouth position. Use minimal pairs like 'qua' vs 'crew' to feel the /kr/ onset. Regularly practice the long /uː/ vowel by tracing the mouth shape in the mirror to ensure lip rounding and back high tongue position remain stable during the /uː/.
"The interest will accrue daily on the balance in your savings account."
"Unpaid benefits accrue over the duration of employment."
"Legal fees will accrue if the dispute drags on for months."
"Powers and responsibilities accrue as you gain experience in the role."
Accrue comes from the Old French acrueur, from accruer meaning to increase, heap up, or grow. The word originally entered English via legal and financial discourse in the 14th–15th centuries. Its roots are tied to the Latin accrescere, from ad- (toward) +crascere (to grow). Early usages emphasized the idea of growth by incremental addition, such as wealth, rights, or obligations that accumulate over time. The semantic development preserved a sense of passive growth, where something accrues as a consequence of ongoing conditions rather than through deliberate action. Over centuries, accruals became a standard term in accounting and finance (e.g., accrual accounting), and the verb retained its nuance of gradual, often inevitable growth. First known use in English appears in legal or financial texts discussing property or revenue that increases through time, before spreading into general finance and everyday formal usage. In modern usage, accrue frequently collocates with interest, benefits, rights, and liabilities, reinforcing the notion of steady accumulation with time and favorable conditions.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "accrue" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "accrue" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "accrue"
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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Pronounce as /əˈkruː/. The first syllable is a schwa, lightly unstressed; the second syllable carries primary stress with a long /uː/ as in 'true' or 'blue'. Your mouth starts relaxed, then tightens to form a long, rounded vowel for the 'crue' portion. IPA: US/UK/AU: əˈkruː. Tip: think 'uh-KROO' with emphasis on the second syllable.
Common errors: misplacing the stress (saying /ˈækˌruː/), pronouncing with an /ɪ/ or /e/ in the second syllable (akin to 'ac-crew'), and shortening the vowel to a lax /u/ or /ʊ/. Correction: keep a clear /ə/ in the first syllable and deliver the long /uː/ in the second with proper tongue retraction and lip rounding. Practice by isolating the /k/ and /r/ cluster and maintaining a steady, long /uː/.
Across accents, the main difference is vowel quality and rhoticity. US and UK tend to have a clear /əˈkruː/ with the second syllable long /uː/. In some US regional accents, a slightly reduced first vowel occurs and the /r/ may be less pronounced in non-rhotic contexts. Australian English generally maintains /əˈkruː/ with a comparable long /uː/ and rhotic sound that’s subtler than US. Overall, the rhythm and stress placement are stable: second syllable stressed. IPA references: US/UK/AU: əˈkruː.
The difficulty lies in the sequence /kruː/ where the /k/ is followed by a strong /r/ onset before the long /uː/. That trigraphic cluster can be challenging for learners who aren’t coarticulating the /k/ and /r/ smoothly. Tip: use a brief pause between /k/ and /r/ to avoid blending into a dull /kr/ without the vowel. Focus on a clean alveolar plosive /k/ then immediate, lightly trilled or approximant /r/ with a long /uː/.
The word has a strong, closed syllable with /kruː/ where the r-colored vowel follows /k/. The second syllable carries the nucleus and peak of stress, making the long /uː/ crucial for distinguishing from other similar forms. Ensure you sustain the /uː/ and maintain a relaxed jaw in the first syllable to avoid an intrusive vowel. IPA: əˈkruː.
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