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
Crucial events morphed into massive set pieces, like Louis hunting down Claudia’s killers by setting their theater on fire, exploding the motorcycles of the vampires who fled the inferno, and eventually bursting out of a manhole to behead Claudia’s main tormenter.
—
Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 2 June 2026
Ned wishes to reveal Joffrey’s illegitimacy, but is instead betrayed by Littlefinger (Aidan Gillen), imprisoned by Cersei, and beheaded in a public execution on Joffrey's orders.
—Brianna Zigler, Entertainment Weekly, 2 June 2026
Following his February arrest on suspicion of misconduct in public office — the first of a senior British royal since 1649, when King Charles I was beheaded for high treason — Andrew was released after about 11 hours in police custody.
—Stephanie Petit, PEOPLE, 1 June 2026
Four Haitian women who were deported from the United States in February were found beheaded and dumped in a river several months later, lawyers said in court documents.
—Lindsay Whitehurst, Chicago Tribune, 29 Apr. 2026
Here’s another, similarly beheaded, on Seventh Avenue near 30th Street.
—Christopher Bonanos, Curbed, 16 Apr. 2026
Several of the women pleaded to be beheaded before the fire was lit and were granted this mercy.
—Literary Hub, 7 Apr. 2026
Many of the men were beheaded and women captured; Umar ibn Sa’d marched the spiked heads and shackled women through various towns on the way back to Caliph Yazid in Damascus to deter further protest.
—Mary Thurlkill, The Conversation, 30 Mar. 2026
This was a one-time golden opportunity to behead the monster with a single blow before those key leaders scattered to the wind.
—U T Readers, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Mar. 2026
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.
Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 2 June 2026
Ned wishes to reveal Joffrey’s illegitimacy, but is instead betrayed by Littlefinger (Aidan Gillen), imprisoned by Cersei, and beheaded in a public execution on Joffrey's orders.
—Brianna Zigler, Entertainment Weekly, 2 June 2026
Following his February arrest on suspicion of misconduct in public office — the first of a senior British royal since 1649, when King Charles I was beheaded for high treason — Andrew was released after about 11 hours in police custody.
—Stephanie Petit, PEOPLE, 1 June 2026
Four Haitian women who were deported from the United States in February were found beheaded and dumped in a river several months later, lawyers said in court documents.
—Lindsay Whitehurst, Chicago Tribune, 29 Apr. 2026
Here’s another, similarly beheaded, on Seventh Avenue near 30th Street.
—Christopher Bonanos, Curbed, 16 Apr. 2026
Several of the women pleaded to be beheaded before the fire was lit and were granted this mercy.
—Literary Hub, 7 Apr. 2026
Many of the men were beheaded and women captured; Umar ibn Sa’d marched the spiked heads and shackled women through various towns on the way back to Caliph Yazid in Damascus to deter further protest.
—Mary Thurlkill, The Conversation, 30 Mar. 2026
This was a one-time golden opportunity to behead the monster with a single blow before those key leaders scattered to the wind.
—U T Readers, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Behead.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/behead. Accessed 12 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
behead
verb
be·head
bi-ˈhed 
: to cut off the head of
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
