How to pronounce destruction
Say it like dih-STRUHK-shun. Destruction has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (STRUHK).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce destruction. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- dih
- STRUHK
- shun
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Destruction pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- dihKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- STRUHKSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "u" in cup.
- shunKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of destruction
American and British speakers say destruction in essentially the same way: /dɪˈstrʌkʃən/ in the US and /dɪˈstrʌkʃən/ in the UK.
British respelling: dih-STRUHK-shun.
What does destruction mean?
- the termination of something by causing so much damage to it that it cannot be repaired or no longer exists
- an event (or the result of an event) that completely destroys something
- a final state“he came to a bad end”“the so-called glorious experiment came to an inglorious end”
Where does destruction come from?
Inherited from Middle English destruccioun, from Old French destrucion, from Latin dēstructiō, dēstructiōnem.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with destruction
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of destruction.
- production
- construction
- introduction
- reduction
- instruction
- reconstruction
- reproduction
- induction
- obstruction
- deduction
Questions about saying destruction
How do you pronounce destruction?
Say dih-STRUHK-shun. The American pronunciation is /dɪˈstrʌkʃən/. In British English it is /dɪˈstrʌkʃən/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in destruction?
Destruction has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (STRUHK). Broken into parts: dih · STRUHK · shun.
Do Americans and Brits say destruction the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /dɪˈstrʌkʃən/ and the British form is /dɪˈstrʌkʃən/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.