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

Images often associated with barbarism on screen, like beheading the dead to memorialize them, are approached with an uncanny gentleness. — Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 20 Sep. 2026

Lizzie’s newfound happiness is shattered at the end of the second episode, however, when Abby enters her stepdaughter’s dovecote and beheads every bird inside after growing increasingly annoyed with their cooing during mating season. — Chris Spargo, PEOPLE, 18 Sep. 2026

Wildlife experts believe the marine mammal was beheaded post-mortem by someone. — ABC News, 18 Sep. 2026

Gross was suspected of a gruesome murder of Ying Li, an employee at a massage parlor who was beheaded in her Northland apartment. — Matthew Kelly, Kansas City Star, 18 Sep. 2026

The caption on the video claims that a group of Muslim extremists kidnapped and beheaded a Christian man for refusing to convert to Islam. — Matthew Ablon, CBS News, 14 Sep. 2026

In connection with the beheading threat, he was arrested on suspicion of making an interstate threatening communication. — Emerson Clarridge, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 26 Aug. 2026

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

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

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