How to pronounce annihilate
Say it like uh-NY-uh-layt. Annihilate has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (NY).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce annihilate. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- uh
- NY
- uh
- layt
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Annihilate pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- uhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- NYSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in time.
- uhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- laytGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "ay" in day.
American vs British pronunciation of annihilate
American and British speakers say annihilate in essentially the same way: /əˈnaɪəˌleɪt/ in the US and /əˈnaɪəleɪt/ in the UK.
British respelling: uh-NY-uh-layt.
What does annihilate mean?
- To reduce to nothing, to destroy, to eradicate.“An atom bomb can annihilate a whole city.”
- To react with antimatter, producing gamma radiation and (for higher-mass reactants, especially composite particles such as protons) lighter particles (such as pions, muons, and neutrinos).
- To render null and void; to abrogate.
Where does annihilate come from?
Borrowed from Latin annihilātus, perfect passive participle of annihilō (“to reduce to nothing”) (see -ate (verb-forming suffix)), from ad (“to”) + nihil (“nothing”) + -ō (verb-forming suffix).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with annihilate
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of annihilate.
Questions about saying annihilate
How do you pronounce annihilate?
Say uh-NY-uh-layt. The American pronunciation is /əˈnaɪəˌleɪt/. In British English it is /əˈnaɪəleɪt/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in annihilate?
Annihilate has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (NY). Broken into parts: uh · NY · uh · layt.
Do Americans and Brits say annihilate the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /əˈnaɪəˌleɪt/ and the British form is /əˈnaɪəleɪt/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.