slaughter

1 of 2

noun

slaugh·​ter ˈslȯ-tər 

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

slaughter

2 of 2

verb

slaughtered; slaughtering; slaughters

transitive verb

1

: to kill (animals) for food : butcher

2

a

: to kill in a bloody or violent manner : slay

b

: to kill in large numbers : massacre

3

: to discredit, defeat, or demolish completely

slaughterer

ˈslȯ-tər-ər 

noun

Synonyms of slaughter

Noun

• massacre

Verb

• massacre
• murder

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

Noun

Authorities invoked the phrase in 2020 during the Black Lives Matter demonstrations and in 2024 during university campus protests against Israel’s slaughter in Gaza. —Harmeet Kaur, CNN Money, 14 Jan. 2026

Raw and vulnerable, Coon reveals that Agnes has been starving for penance, ready to offer herself up for slaughter. —Sara Holdren, Vulture, 9 Jan. 2026

Verb

Thousands of English troops were being slaughtered in the trench warfare against Germany. —Stephen Schaefer, Boston Herald, 15 Jan. 2026

Guatemalans who opposed the reforms slaughtered labor leaders, politicians and others who had supported Árbenz and Arévalo. —Aaron Coy Moulton, The Conversation, 15 Jan. 2026

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

Phrases Containing slaughter

• like a lamb to the slaughter
• pre-slaughter
• self-slaughter

Rhymes for slaughter

• blotter
• cotter
• daughter
• hotter
• mater
• otter
• plotter
• rotter
• spotter
• squatter
• totter
• trotter

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

1

: to kill an animal for food : butcher

2

: to kill without mercy or in large numbers : massacre

slaughterer

ˈslȯt-ər-ər 

noun