1
: the act of killing
specifically
: the butchering of livestock for market
2
: killing of great numbers of human beings (as in battle or a massacre) : carnage
slaughtered; slaughtering; slaughters
1
: to kill (animals) for food : butcher
3
: to discredit, defeat, or demolish completely
Synonyms
Examples of slaughter in a Sentence
Noun
the slaughter of innocent people
all civilized nations should protest this senseless slaughter
Verb
Our team got slaughtered yesterday.
modern poultry farms slaughter a vast number of chickens every day
Recent Examples on the Web
Dino Grandoni and Melina Mara, Anchorage Daily News, 11 Sep. 2023
At the core of Manson’s death squads are two acolytes, Charles ‘Tex’ Watson and Susan ‘Sadie’ Atkins, both of whom drive the slaughter more aggressively than the other, haphazard squad members.
—Matt Thompson, Spin, 10 Sep. 2023
Two years later, however, the Supreme Court ruled that the NIRA was unconstitutional due to a provision pertaining to the slaughter of chickens.
—Jeanne Sahadi, CNN, 9 Sep. 2023
The mom had been kept for breeding while her piglets were allegedly intended for slaughter.
—Carissa Quiambao, USA TODAY, 16 Aug. 2023
Whether this person is connected to the sudden slaughter of all the livestock onboard, or the mysterious disappearances of several able-bodied seamen, is anyone’s guess.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 11 Aug. 2023
Khara Khota, Mongolia This ancient city in the Gobi Desert is believed to be haunted by the many former citizens that perished in the 14th century during a siege and slaughter by a rival army.
—Alison Fox, Travel + Leisure, 11 Aug. 2023
And of the miracle that followed, Jack, Bobby, Jackie, the clean lines, the beauty, the poetry, pre-Catholic, a ravishing encounter, Dionysian, right down to the slaughter in Dallas.
—Time, 9 Aug. 2023
In the end, he was found guilty for his role in the 2016 slaughter of seven members and one future member of the Rhoden family, earning eight consecutive life sentences.
—The Enquirer, 8 Aug. 2023
Takehiko Kambayashi, The Christian Science Monitor, 1 Sep. 2023
Halal meat must be from certain cuts, humanely slaughtered and prepared in accordance with Islamic dietary law as laid out in the Quran.
—Megan Woolard, Journal Sentinel, 26 Aug. 2023
All of the ship’s livestock is discovered slaughtered, their necks ripped open by horrific bites.
—Frank Scheck, The Hollywood Reporter, 10 Aug. 2023
The mom had been kept alive for breeding, and most of her young had been taken and slaughtered.
—Carissa Quiambao, USA TODAY, 20 Aug. 2023
Members waved a flag from the Nazi SS Heimwehr Danzig unit — best known for slaughtering 33 Polish civilians — while taunting library workers in Providence.
—Hanna Krueger, BostonGlobe.com, 3 Aug. 2023
Halal is food prepared or meat derived from animals slaughtered in accordance with Islamic dietary law.
—Giles Bruce, Chicago Tribune, 10 Aug. 2023
Every year, the global leather industry—on which luxury fashion houses depend—is involved in slaughtering more than a billion animals, while tannery workers are exposed to toxic chemicals.
—Time, 9 Aug. 2023
Cows and pigs are slaughtered for meat and the two-acre garden provides 2,500 pounds of fruits, vegetables, and herbs each month.
—Jen Murphy, Travel + Leisure, 7 Aug. 2023
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Noun
Nearly wiped out by fur hunters in the 18th and 19th centuries, California’s population would have been gone for good had a raft of a few dozen not eluded the slaughter off the rocky coast of Big Sur.
—Dino Grandoni and Melina Mara, Anchorage Daily News, 11 Sep. 2023
At the core of Manson’s death squads are two acolytes, Charles ‘Tex’ Watson and Susan ‘Sadie’ Atkins, both of whom drive the slaughter more aggressively than the other, haphazard squad members.
—Matt Thompson, Spin, 10 Sep. 2023
Two years later, however, the Supreme Court ruled that the NIRA was unconstitutional due to a provision pertaining to the slaughter of chickens.
—Jeanne Sahadi, CNN, 9 Sep. 2023
The mom had been kept for breeding while her piglets were allegedly intended for slaughter.
—Carissa Quiambao, USA TODAY, 16 Aug. 2023
Whether this person is connected to the sudden slaughter of all the livestock onboard, or the mysterious disappearances of several able-bodied seamen, is anyone’s guess.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 11 Aug. 2023
Khara Khota, Mongolia This ancient city in the Gobi Desert is believed to be haunted by the many former citizens that perished in the 14th century during a siege and slaughter by a rival army.
—Alison Fox, Travel + Leisure, 11 Aug. 2023
And of the miracle that followed, Jack, Bobby, Jackie, the clean lines, the beauty, the poetry, pre-Catholic, a ravishing encounter, Dionysian, right down to the slaughter in Dallas.
—Time, 9 Aug. 2023
In the end, he was found guilty for his role in the 2016 slaughter of seven members and one future member of the Rhoden family, earning eight consecutive life sentences.
—The Enquirer, 8 Aug. 2023
Verb
More than 6,600 Koreans were slaughtered by military, police, and vigilante groups in the days following the earthquake.
—Takehiko Kambayashi, The Christian Science Monitor, 1 Sep. 2023
Halal meat must be from certain cuts, humanely slaughtered and prepared in accordance with Islamic dietary law as laid out in the Quran.
—Megan Woolard, Journal Sentinel, 26 Aug. 2023
All of the ship’s livestock is discovered slaughtered, their necks ripped open by horrific bites.
—Frank Scheck, The Hollywood Reporter, 10 Aug. 2023
The mom had been kept alive for breeding, and most of her young had been taken and slaughtered.
—Carissa Quiambao, USA TODAY, 20 Aug. 2023
Members waved a flag from the Nazi SS Heimwehr Danzig unit — best known for slaughtering 33 Polish civilians — while taunting library workers in Providence.
—Hanna Krueger, BostonGlobe.com, 3 Aug. 2023
Halal is food prepared or meat derived from animals slaughtered in accordance with Islamic dietary law.
—Giles Bruce, Chicago Tribune, 10 Aug. 2023
Every year, the global leather industry—on which luxury fashion houses depend—is involved in slaughtering more than a billion animals, while tannery workers are exposed to toxic chemicals.
—Time, 9 Aug. 2023
Cows and pigs are slaughtered for meat and the two-acre garden provides 2,500 pounds of fruits, vegetables, and herbs each month.
—Jen Murphy, Travel + Leisure, 7 Aug. 2023
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These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'slaughter.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Noun
Middle English, of Scandinavian origin; akin to Old Norse slātra to slaughter; akin to Old English sleaht slaughter, slēan to slay — more at slay
First Known Use
Noun
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Verb
1535, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Time Traveler
The first known use of slaughter was
in the 14th century
Phrases Containing slaughter
Dictionary Entries Near slaughter
Cite this Entry
“Slaughter.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/slaughter. Accessed 23 Sep. 2023.
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Kids Definition
slaughter
1 of 2 noun
slaugh·ter
ˈslȯt-ər 
1
: the act of killing
especially
: the butchering of livestock for market
2
: destruction of human lives in large numbers (as in war or a massacre)
slaughter
2 of 2 verb
More from Merriam-Webster on slaughter
Nglish: Translation of slaughter for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of slaughter for Arabic Speakers
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