behead

as in to head
to cut off the head of Mary, Queen of Scots, was beheaded for plotting against Queen Elizabeth

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of behead Later, Ciri watches helplessly as Bonhart beheads her. Jp Mangalindan, Time, 30 Oct. 2025 Around the same time, a statue of Columbus in a park bearing his name in Boston was beheaded in the dead of night. Peter D'abrosca, FOXNews.com, 13 Oct. 2025 Walt Disney Imagineering updated the storyline of Black Widow Bride Constance Hatchway earlier this year by turning her from an axe murderer who beheads her wealthy husbands into a more mournful figure overwhelmed by the dread of lost love. Brady MacDonald, Oc Register, 13 Oct. 2025 More than 30 Christians were beheaded in Mozambique last month, with churches and homes burned down, according to a new report. Jordan King, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Oct. 2025 The Barcelona delegate, as portrayed by an overly ceceando Mikey Day, suggested skipping the tiresome lecture, only to be taken off camera to be beheaded. Natalie Oganesyan, Deadline, 4 Oct. 2025 The first two of these were found out and, unfortunately for them, beheaded, but fake news had a strong grip. Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 28 Sep. 2025 As king, Shakespeare’s Macbeth meets a tragic end when civil war erupts and his rival Macduff beheads him. Marlene L. Daut september 22, Literary Hub, 22 Sep. 2025 After beheading Nagamallaiah, Cobos-Martinez allegedly placed the victim’s head in a dumpster. Nic F. Anderson, CNN Money, 13 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for behead
Verb
  • After the death of his addict father, Ethan heads back to see if there’s any money to be made from selling his home, intending to stay, only briefly, with his aunt Sarah, Metcalf’s character, a Brunhilde of the high prairie.
    Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 31 Oct. 2025
  • After their dinner at Kkanbu Chicken, the three leaders headed to Nvidia’s GeForce Gamer Festival, where Huang – flanked by Lee and Chung – promised to make a big announcement at the APEC summit on Friday.
    Gawon Bae, CNN Money, 31 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Hands-down one of the most disgusting movies ever made (a compliment), the film finds the indefatigable slasher, who was decapitated at the end of Terrifier 2, reattaching his head and commencing his ritual slaughters.
    Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 31 Oct. 2025
  • Sources told the Herald that the targets — which could be struck by air in a matter of days or even hours — also aim to decapitate the cartel’s hierarchy.
    Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 31 Oct. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Behead.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/behead. Accessed 5 Nov. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on behead

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!