2 syllables: de, stroy. Stress on stroy.
dis-TROY
/dɪsˈtɹɔɪ/
destroy is pronounced dis-TROY (/dɪsˈtɹɔɪ/). It has two syllables (de-stroy), with the stress on "stroy". Destroy means to cause irreparable damage or ruin something’s structure, function, or existence. It can refer to physical wreckage, defeat in competition, or erasing records or memories. The term conveys intense force or finality, often with deliberate intent rather than accidental harm.
Destroy means to cause irreparable damage or ruin something’s structure, function, or existence. It can refer to physical wreckage, defeat in competition, or erasing records or memories. The term conveys intense force or finality, often with deliberate intent rather than accidental harm.
"The flood destroyed several historic buildings in the town center."
"Her video game character was destroyed after an all-out raid by rivals."
"Windscreens were destroyed by hail during the storm."
Pronounce as di-STROY with two syllables. Primary stress on the second syllable: /dɪˈstrɔɪ/. The first syllable is a quick, lax /dɪ/ before the stressed /strɔɪ/ diphthong that ends with /ɔɪ/ (as in toy). Mouth starts with a light /d/ release, then a heavy consonant cluster /str-/ and a rounded, rising diphthong. Audio reference: listen for the clear /ɪ/ in the first syllable and the crisp /ɔɪ/ glide.
Common mistakes: 1) Over-splitting the /str/ cluster and producing a weaker /tr/; 2) Aging the second syllable to /droɪ/ or silent the /ɪ/; 3) Flattening /ɔɪ/ to /ɔ/ or a pure /ɒ/. Correct by: practicing the full /dɪˈstrɔɪ/ sequence, keeping the /str/ consonant blend tight and the diphthong progressing from /ɔ/ to /ɪ/ at the end. Focus on a brief, explosive /d/ release into the /str/ cluster and ensure the /ɪ/ is not swallowed.
Across US/UK/AU, the core /dɪˈstrɔɪ/ remains, but rhoticity and vowel quality vary. US speakers often have a more rounded /ɔɪ/ and a stronger rhotic influence in surrounding vowels; UK speakers maintain crisp /r/ reduction after vowel but can preserve non-rhotic tendencies in some accents; AU tends toward a relaxed vowel duration with clear /str/ onset but may show less overt rhotic coloring. The main difference is vowel quality and the vowel sequencing’s timing rather than a different phoneme set.
The difficulty centers on the /str/ cluster after the initial /d/ and the /ɔɪ/ diphthong at the nucleus. The blend requires precise tongue positioning: the tip behind the upper teeth for /d/, followed by a rapid /str/ sequence with the tongue high for the /ɪ/ then transitioning to the /ɔɪ/ glide. Additionally, maintaining stress on the second syllable while not reducing the first vowel is tricky for speakers who tend to weaken second-syllable stress.
A unique feature is the exact two-syllable rhythm with secondary onset /str/ in the second syllable, requiring a quick, tight transition from /t/ to /r/ to /ɔɪ/. This is often mispronounced as de-STRoi or de-STRUY. Emphasize the quick release from /d/ into the /str/ cluster and ensure the /ɔɪ/ glide remains clear rather than turning into a flat vowel.
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The verb destroy traces to Middle English destrueren, from Old French desruire, from Latin destruere, meaning to pull down, demolish. The Latin form combines de- (down, away) with struere (to pile up, build). By the 14th century, destroy carried the sense of ruin through forceful collapse or damage, evolving to include figurative contexts like destroying reputations or ideas. The shift from literal to figurative use occurred gradually as languages absorbed more abstract notions of ruin. In English, destroy joined a family of forceful action verbs such as demolish and ruin; it implies a decisive end state rather than mere alteration. First known in Middle English sources around the 13th–14th centuries, destroy appears in legal and narrative texts that describe the destruction of property, evidence, or structures, with later literary usage expanding to psychological and social domains. The word’s robustness lies in its ability to convey catastrophic impact with a sense of intentionality or violent force, which persists in modern usage across professional and colloquial registers.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "destroy" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "destroy"
-loy sounds
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