kill off

verb

killed off; killing off; kills off
Synonyms of kill offnext

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.
Scardapane called Gandolfini and explained the decision to alter the scene and kill off his character. Jordan Moreau, Variety, 29 Apr. 2026 The Lightning penalty kill already had killed off a 3-minute, 48-second power play that included 12 seconds at 3-on-5. Eduardo A. Encina, The Orlando Sentinel, 27 Apr. 2026 Todd was later controversially killed off after fans voted to off him in a telephone poll, though the character was resurrected in the early 2000s. Borys Kit, HollywoodReporter, 27 Apr. 2026 Kucherov did exactly that in the first period of Game 2 when Alex Newhook aggressively closed on him while the Canadiens were attempting to kill off one of two penalties to goaltender Jakub Dobeš. Arpon Basu, New York Times, 26 Apr. 2026 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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Kill off.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/kill%20off. Accessed 3 May. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on kill off

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster