behead

verb

be·​head bi-ˈhed 

bē-

beheaded; beheading; beheads

transitive verb

: to cut off the head of : decapitate

Synonyms of behead

• head
• decapitate

Examples of behead in a Sentence

Louis XVI was beheaded in 1793.

Mary, Queen of Scots, was beheaded for plotting against Queen Elizabeth.

Recent Examples on the Web

Women and girls in all corners of this world are accustomed to, and even expect, danger, including the priestess of Athena (Zendaya) whom Odysseus’ men behead during their sack of Troy. — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 29 July 2026

His unprecedented February arrest was the first of a royal since 1649, when King Charles I was beheaded for high treason. — Meredith Kile, PEOPLE, 29 July 2026

That’s highly unlikely considering Lestat and Louis were steps away from getting back together before they were beheaded and had spared only a small moment to reckon with her spending an eternity stuck in purgatory without Madeleine (Roxane Duran). — Sabrina Reed, Forbes.com, 20 July 2026

Yordanis Cobos-Martinez, 37, was arrested in September 2025 in the beheading death of Chandra Nagamallaiah using a machete, Dallas police have said. — Shambhavi Rimal, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 July 2026

When the decision on trans athletes was made the other day by the Supreme Court were the Justices swarmed by an angry mob and beheaded on the spot? — Joe Kinsey Outkick, FOXNews.com, 4 July 2026

That marble sculpture of George III, vandalized in 1775, was now beheaded altogether, to the cheers of soldiers. — Sarah M.s. Pearsall, The Conversation, 2 July 2026

In one montage played for laughs, an emperor is squashed by a panda and a king is beheaded, although there is no blood or guts to speak of. — Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 1 July 2026

Eight pages later, Leucippe has to fake her own beheading to escape from pirates. — Literary Hub, 30 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for behead

• abed
• ahead
• beachhead
• bedspread
• bedstead
• blackhead
• blockhead
• bloodshed
• bowhead
• breastfed
• bridgehead
• broadhead

Kids Definition

behead

verb

be·​head bi-ˈhed 

: to cut off the head of