kill off

verb

killed off; killing off; kills off

transitive verb

: to destroy in large numbers or totally

Examples of kill off in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
His character, Robert Scorpio, was killed off in 1992, but — in true soap opera fashion — Scorpio returned, alive, in 2006. Rachel Raposas, People.com, 17 July 2025 As an annual weed, crabgrass is killed off by the first frost. Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 13 July 2025 Did And Just Like That… accidentally kill off the same character twice? Andy Swift, TVLine, 8 July 2025 The sheer volume of fresh water over months also killed off crucial seagrass beds, damaging both the environment and local tourism economies. Bill Kearney, Sun Sentinel, 29 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for kill off

Word History

First Known Use

1607, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of kill off was in 1607

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Cite this Entry

“Kill off.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/kill%20off. Accessed 23 Jul. 2025.

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