slaughter

noun

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slaugh·ter | \ ˈslȯ-tər

Definition of slaughter

(Entry 1 of 2)

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

verb

slaughtered; slaughtering; slaughters

Definition of slaughter (Entry 2 of 2)

transitive verb

1 : to kill (animals) for food : butcher

2a : to kill in a bloody or violent manner : slay

b : to kill in large numbers : massacre

3 : to discredit, defeat, or demolish completely

Other Words from slaughter Synonyms Example Sentences Learn More about slaughter

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Synonyms for slaughter

Synonyms: Noun

Synonyms: Verb

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 Talks are not on the cards with the most bloodthirsty outfits, such as ISGS, the group blamed for the slaughter in western Niger on January 2nd. — The Economist, "Which way out? France’s forever war in the Sahel," 17 Feb. 2021 In August, the country rejected a German offer of compensation for the slaughter of tens of thousands of Herero and Nama peoples at the hands of German colonial forces between 1904 and 1908. — Jennifer Hassan, Washington Post, "Man named Adolf Hitler Uunona wins election in Namibia, says he isn’t seeking ‘world domination’," 3 Dec. 2020 This content could range from cute pictures of babies and golden retrievers to calls for the mass slaughter of entire ethnic groups. — Siva Vaidhyanathan, The New Republic, "Making Sense of the Facebook Menace," 5 Jan. 2021 In another part of Alaska, the Trump administration overturned a rule established under Obama and Biden that banned the slaughter of bears using unorthodox techniques on federal preserves. — Author: Darryl Fears, Anchorage Daily News, "It could take years for Biden to restore wildlife protections erased by Trump," 22 Dec. 2020 Trump also has offended Native Americans with his praise for Andrew Jackson, who led the slaughter of tribes as an American general and forcibly removed them from their lands as president. — Ledyard King, USA TODAY, "'We just made history': Native Americans praise historic choice to have Deb Haaland lead Interior," 18 Dec. 2020 The most shocking scene, showing the wholesale slaughter of prairie buffalo, lays bare the sickening cruelty of Manifest Destiny. — Justin Chang Film Critic, Los Angeles Times, "Review: ‘News of the World,’ Paul Greengrass’ odd-couple western, is an admirable but bumpy ride," 11 Dec. 2020 Horrified by the industrial slaughter of millions of soldiers and civilians, the people of the U.S. and the world initiated campaigns to outlaw war once and for all. — Star Tribune, "Readers Write: Election results, Trump's behavior, alligator killed in Minnesota, Armistice Day," 10 Nov. 2020 But the European Court of Justice ruling also has provoked fears of eventual EU-wide prohibitions on ritual slaughter, and aroused memories of periods when Europe's Jews faced cruel persecution. — Justin Spike, Star Tribune, "Ruling brings kosher slaughterhouse new business, old fears," 28 Jan. 2021 Recent Examples on the Web: Verb Per the statement, the site where researchers uncovered the fragment was most likely a meeting place for Paleolithic hunters who convened there to slaughter animals. — Isis Davis-marks, Smithsonian Magazine, "120,000-Year-Old Cattle Bone Carvings May Be World’s Oldest Surviving Symbols," 8 Feb. 2021 Rwandan prosecutors say financial documents found in the capital, Kigali, after the genocide indicated that Kabuga, then a wealthy businessman, used dozens of his companies to import vast quantities of machetes that were used to slaughter people. — Elaine Ganley, Star Tribune, "French high court OKs extradition of Rwanda genocide suspect," 30 Sep. 2020 The facility in Waterloo is Tyson’s largest pork-processing plant, with the capacity to slaughter about 20,000 hogs daily. — Jacob Bunge, WSJ, "Tyson Fires Pork Plant Managers After Probe Into Covid-19 Bets," 16 Dec. 2020 The first book is written from the perspective of those in the countryside, where the Maccabees conducted a guerilla war against the Greeks, while taking ample time to slaughter Hellenized Jews along the way. — David Harsanyi, National Review, "The True Meaning of Hanukkah," 9 Dec. 2020 Under the previous owners, Brawley Beef (National Beef), the plant had the capacity to slaughter between 1,600 to 2,300 cattle on a daily basis. — Krista Stevens, Longreads, "A Box of Meat and $100 For Your Life," 5 Dec. 2020 The invasive 2-inch Asian giant hornet, or vespa mandarinia, has drawn concern over the species' ability to slaughter honeybee colonies within a span of a few hours. — NBC News, "'Murder hornet' nest had potential to spawn almost 200 queens in Washington state," 10 Nov. 2020 Denmark won’t go ahead with a plan to immediately slaughter millions of mink, after opposition lawmakers slammed the government’s handling of the matter. — Morten Buttler, Bloomberg.com, "Danish Mink Cull Shelved After Government Botches Covid Response," 9 Nov. 2020 Denmark plans to slaughter up to 17 million farmed mink because a coronavirus mutation discovered in the animals that spread to humans, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said Thursday. — Fox News, "Denmark plans to kill up to 17 million farmed mink due to coronavirus mutation," 5 Nov. 2020

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'slaughter.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.