slash

1 of 3

verb

ˈslash 

slashed; slashing; slashes

intransitive verb

: to lash out, cut, or thrash about with or as if with an edged blade

transitive verb

1

: to cut with or as if with rough sweeping strokes

2

: cane, lash

3

: to cut slits in (something, such as a garment) so as to reveal a color beneath

4

: to criticize cuttingly

5

: to reduce sharply : cut

slash

2 of 3

noun (1)

1

: the act of slashing

also : a long cut or stroke made by or as if by slashing

2

: an ornamental slit in a garment

3

a

: an open tract in a forest strewn with debris (as from logging)

b

: the debris in such a tract

4

: a mark / used typically to denote "or" (as in and/or), "and or" (as in straggler/deserter), or "per" (as in feet/second)

called also diagonal, slant, solidus, virgule

5

or slash fiction : a genre of fan fiction which features a romantic pairing of two usually male fictional characters who are not romantically connected in the original work of fiction

If women are the prime producers of the stuff, one would imagine that slash would be as full of male-female fantasies as male-male fantasies, but that's not the case.

—Owen Smith

Here's a sampling of Harry Potter slash, taken from a novella called "Irresistible Poison," about a budding romance between Harry and his archenemy Draco Malfoy.

—Christopher Noxon

I don't know whether Moody has read Kirk/Spock slash fiction, either, but I bet he's heard of it …

—Elizabeth Hand

slash

3 of 3

noun (2)

: a low swampy area often overgrown with brush

Synonyms of slash

Verb

• slit
• slice
• rip
• cut

Noun (1)

• slit
• tear

Examples of slash in a Sentence

Verb

Someone slashed his car's tires.

He threatened to slash the man's throat.

She slashed a path through the underbrush.

They slashed their way through the jungle.

The company has slashed prices to increase sales.

Funding for the program was slashed.

Noun (1)

made a slash in the fabric with a knife

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

State officials emphasized that California’s economy has continued to grow even as the state has slashed emissions, with gross domestic product up 40% since the passage of AB 32. — Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2026

Their efforts focus on dismantling measures supporting transgender populations, particularly by restricting gender-neutral bathroom access and slashing dedicated welfare programs and specialized healthcare services. — ABC News, 22 Oct. 2026

Noun

Finally, the wind seemed to permanently lie down, though storm clouds still haunted the horizon, forcing the sunset to squeeze beneath them, its rays condensed into a lurid, painterly slash. — Heidi Julavits, Vogue, 20 Oct. 2026

Many are missing teeth, a few have cracks or slashes or holes left from when something outside forced its way in. — Daniel Barnum, Longreads, 15 Oct. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Verb

origin unknown

Noun (2)

origin unknown

First Known Use

Verb

1548, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Noun (1)

1576, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

1652, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing slash

• slash-and-burn
• slash at
• slash fiction
• slash line
• slash pine
• slash pocket

Rhymes for slash

• ash
• bash
• brash
• cache
• cash
• clash
• crash
• dash
• flash
• gash
• hash
• lash

Kids Definition

slash

1 of 2 verb

ˈslash 

1

: to cut by sweeping and pointless blows

2

: to whip or strike with or as if with a cane

3

: to criticize without mercy

4

: to cut slits in (as a skirt) to reveal a different color or material

5

: to reduce sharply : cut

slash prices

slasher noun

slash

2 of 2 noun

1

: the act of slashing

also : a long cut or stroke made by slashing

2

: an ornamental slit in a garment

3

: a mark / used to mean "or" (as in and/or), "and or" (as in bottles/cans), or "per" (as in kilometers/hour)