Louis XVI was beheaded in 1793.
Mary, Queen of Scots, was beheaded for plotting against Queen Elizabeth.
Recent Examples on the WebDubray’s mediocre statue had already been beheaded three decades ago — a symbolic decapitation that couldn’t help but recall Marie-Antoinette’s actual fate at the guillotine.—Christopher Knight, Los Angeles Times, 1 June 2024 But would you rather be blasted by tiny pieces — which really hurts — or beheaded or stabbed in the heart by a large shard with tape dangling off of it?—Howard Cohen, Miami Herald, 29 May 2024 This mock court continued with verdicts for GWU’s board of trustees and for the school’s president, shouting for each of these individuals to be beheaded, per the publication.—Chris Pandolfo, Fox News, 8 May 2024 In another incident, a Georgia teacher allegedly threatened to beat and behead a seventh grade Muslim student after the student asked about the teacher's Israeli flag, according to the CAIR report.—Nadine El-Bawab, ABC News, 2 Apr. 2024 With hundreds of followers, Chilembwe attacked one of the worst of the plantations, beheading a manager who was known for his brutal treatment of workers.—Mark Jenkins, Smithsonian Magazine, 2 Apr. 2024 But whether the death of the wife of a prominent Hollywood agent’s son was the result of being shot, hit in the head, suffocated or even beheaded is impossible to determine, according to the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner.—Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 18 Mar. 2024 After Valentine's actions were discovered, he was sentenced to death and beheaded by the emperor.—Maeghan Dolph, Fox News, 14 Feb. 2024 The 34-year-old was convicted in November of first-degree murder after nearly beheading his ex-girlfriend, a mother of two, with a samurai sword in front of neighbors in September 2022.—Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 31 Jan. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'behead.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above
Time Traveler
The first known use of behead was
before the 12th century
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