slay

play

verb \ˈslā\

Definition of slay

slew

play \ˈslü\ also especially in sense 2

slayed

;

slain

play \ˈslān\;

slaying

transitive verb
1 : to kill violently, wantonly, or in great numbers; broadly : to strike down : kill
2 : to delight or amuse immensely slayed the audience
intransitive verb
: kill, murder

slayer

noun

See slay defined for English-language learners

See slay defined for kids

Examples of slay in a Sentence

The knight slew the dragon.
millions have been slain worldwide by this dreadful disease

Recent Examples of slay from the Web

For the first six months of 2017, more than 90 percent of Chicago homicide victims were slain by gunfire, according to Police Department records.

— jeremy gorner, chicagotribune.com, "Halfway through 2017, violence remains stubbornly high in Chicago", 30 June 2017
Needless to say, Ariana absolutely slayed in this look, proving your birthday outfit definitely does not have to consist of a dress to be glamorous.

— kaleigh fasanella, Teen Vogue, "Ariana Grande Posts Pantsless Photo on Instagram for Her Birthday", 26 June 2017
The king, believing the beast had already been slayed, offered little aid.

— lorraine boissoneault, Smithsonian, "When the Beast of Gévaudan Terrorized France", 26 June 2017
A Chicago man faces a federal sex trafficking charge in the case of a 16-year-old girl found slain in a Markham garage last Christmas Eve.

— zak koeske, Daily Southtown, "Teen found slain in Markham garage tried to escape alleged pimp facing charges, complaint states", 21 June 2017
Jones, in his telling, is Perseus, descending into the Labyrinth to slay Medusa.

— luke o'neil, Esquire, "Do Androids Dream of Electric Leaks?", 16 June 2017
MOGADISHU, Somalia (AP) — Islamic extremists attacked a popular Somalia restaurant in an overnight siege and killed 31 people — many at point-blank range — before they were slain by security forces, police said Thursday.

— abdi guled, The Seattle Times, "Somali survivors tell of restaurant siege by rebels; 31 dead", 15 June 2017
Days after Cyrus Jefferson was found slain, deputies arrested Stacy Littleton, who Jefferson had recently met.

— lyndsay winkley, sandiegouniontribune.com, "How old evidence helps crack cold cases", 14 June 2017
Iran’s state broadcaster said a security guard was killed at the tomb and that one of the attackers was slain by security guards.

— Washington Post, "Iran says 5 Tehran attackers had fought for Islamic State", 8 June 2017

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

Origin and Etymology of slay

Middle English slen, from Old English slēan to strike, slay; akin to Old High German slahan to strike, Middle Irish slachta stricken

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First Known Use: before 12th century

See Words from the same year

Synonym Discussion of slay

kill, slay, murder, assassinate, dispatch, execute mean to deprive of life. kill merely states the fact of death caused by an agency in any manner. killed in an accident frost killed the plants slay is a chiefly literary term implying deliberateness and violence but not necessarily motive. slew thousands of the Philistines murder specifically implies stealth and motive and premeditation and therefore full moral responsibility. convicted of murdering a rival assassinate applies to deliberate killing openly or secretly often for political motives. terrorists assassinated the Senator dispatch stresses quickness and directness in putting to death. dispatched the sentry with one bullet execute stresses putting to death as a legal penalty. executed by lethal gas