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.
But Gormican just doesn’t seem very comfortable with horror — or with killing off his characters, for that matter. Peter Debruge, Variety, 23 Dec. 2025 Romanticized Sports Athleisure isn’t being killed off, though it is being toned down. Alexandra Harrell, Sourcing Journal, 22 Dec. 2025 Mika Zibanejad tied it late in the third period, and the New York Rangers killed off two penalties in overtime on the way to beating the Philadelphia Flyers 5-4 in a shootout on Saturday. CBS News, 20 Dec. 2025 Luke was originally supposed to be killed off after Geary’s 13 weeks were up and then again after the rape of Laura, but both times the character was spared. Mike Barnes, HollywoodReporter, 15 Dec. 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 28 Dec. 2025.

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