slaying

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

Synonyms of slaying

• murder
• homicide
• killing

Examples of slaying in a Sentence

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

Recent Examples on the Web

Last week, the Daily News reported Brooklyn went most of July — a record 29 days straight — with no slayings. — Rocco Parascandola, New York Daily News, 13 Aug. 2026

After the slayings, Nick’s struggles with mental health and drug addiction made headlines. — Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 12 Aug. 2026

The explosion targeting Ranucci occurred on the eighth anniversary of the car bomb slaying of Maltese investigative journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, who wrote extensively about suspected corruption in political and business circles. — CBS News, 10 Aug. 2026

Photographer Julian Wasser, who took snapshots of the crime scene for Life magazine days after the slayings, told The Guardian in July 2014 that Sharon’s murder was the end of an era in Hollywood. — Jessica Sager, PEOPLE, 9 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for slaying

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