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Decapitation is a quick and fairly painless way to go, so it was once considered suitable only for nobles like Sir Walter Raleigh, Mary Queen of Scots, and two of Henry VIII's unfortunate wives. The invention of the guillotine in the 18th century was meant to make execution swifter and more painless than hanging or a badly aimed blow by the executioner's sword.
Examples of decapitate in a Sentence
Verb
a particularly gruesome series of murders in which the victims were decapitated
Recent Examples on the Web
Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 13 June 2026
Well, they’ve been largely decapitated.
—NBC news, 7 June 2026
After decapitating the body, Kennedy tied the head to the top of the family's minivan with a bungee cord, making for a less-than-pleasant five-hour drive back home to Mount Kisco, New York, according to her recollection.
—Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA Today, 26 May 2026
Vahidi’s rise to become one of Iran’s top decision-makers shows that US and Israeli efforts to decapitate the country’s leadership have not produced a more moderate ruling echelon.
—Nadeen Ebrahim, CNN Money, 23 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for decapitate
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Verb
When a fan sees Victor Wembanyama almost decapitate Jalen Brunson and not get called for a flagrant foul, then sees the refs call a flagrant on Brunson for incidental contact, how are they supposed to react?
—Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 13 June 2026
Well, they’ve been largely decapitated.
—NBC news, 7 June 2026
After decapitating the body, Kennedy tied the head to the top of the family's minivan with a bungee cord, making for a less-than-pleasant five-hour drive back home to Mount Kisco, New York, according to her recollection.
—Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA Today, 26 May 2026
Vahidi’s rise to become one of Iran’s top decision-makers shows that US and Israeli efforts to decapitate the country’s leadership have not produced a more moderate ruling echelon.
—Nadeen Ebrahim, CNN Money, 23 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for decapitate
Cite this Entry
“Decapitate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/decapitate. Accessed 22 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
decapitate
verb
de·cap·i·tate
di-ˈkap-ə-ˌtāt 
decapitated; decapitating
: to cut off the head of : behead
Etymology
Verb
derived from Latin decapitare "to cut off the head of," from de- "from, away" and caput "head" — related to capital
Medical Definition
decapitate
1 of 2 transitive verb
de·cap·i·tate
di-ˈkap-ə-ˌtāt
decapitated; decapitating
: to cut off the head of
: relating to or being a decapitated experimental animal
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