slaying

1 of 2

noun

slay·​ing ˈslā-iŋ 

plural slayings

: the act of killing a person : killing, murder

—used chiefly in journalistic writing

a gangland slaying

Sunday's slayings bring to 14 the number of killings this year in what police call gang-related attacks.

—Peter Stein

He is accused of ordering the 1989 slayings and robberies of three drug dealers …

—Joseph P. Fried

slaying

2 of 2

present participle of slay

Synonyms of slaying

Noun

• murder
• homicide
• killing

Examples of slaying in a Sentence

Noun

a man wanted for the slaying of seven people during an armed robbery

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Cops are still working to establish a motive in Rodriguez’s slaying. — Rocco Parascandola, New York Daily News, 22 Oct. 2026

The teen accused of fatally stabbing a homeless Roseville woman faced a judge and the woman’s family Tuesday during his first court appearance in the slaying. — Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 21 Oct. 2026

Roberts was arrested almost a month after the slaying on June 14, 2019. — Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 9 Oct. 2026

Two others involved in the slaying received lesser sentences — one who was 17 at the time and another who testified on behalf of the state as part of a plea deal. — Michael Ruiz, FOXNews.com, 8 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for slaying

• baying
• braying
• faying
• flaying
• fraying
• graying
• greying
• haying
• laying
• neighing
• paying
• playing