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\ ˈslā 
\
\slew\ ˈslü \ also especially in sense 2 slayed; slain\ ˈslān \; slaying; slays
\ also especially in sense 2 slayed; slain\ ˈslān \; slaying; slaysDefinition of slay
1 transitive : to kill violently, wantonly, or in great numbers
slay the enemy This was the appearance of a dreadful epidemic which in that age, and long before and afterward, was wont to slay its hundreds and thousands on both sides of the Atlantic.— Nathaniel Hawthorne broadly : to strike down : kill slay a dragon "It's a lot easier to slay a vampire with a stake in the heart than it is to slay some of our demons that are in our heads." — Rachel T. Hill
2 transitive informal : to delight or amuse immensely
slayed the audience … [Seth Rogen] is currently slaying critics with Superbad, which he co-wrote with Evan Goldberg.— Tanner Stransky
3 transitive + intransitive informal : to do something or perform exceptionally well or impressively : to be exceptionally impressive
From the Let Girls Learn initiative to her Vogue covers, [Yara Shahidi] slays it all.— Rebecca Sun Beyoncé did not come to this year's Grammy Awards just to slay, she came to make a statement.— Jackie Fields From the red carpet to her sure-to-be epic performance, one thing is for certain—she's gonna slay.— Quinn Keaney
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Examples of slay in a Sentence
The knight slew the dragon.
millions have been slain worldwide by this dreadful disease
Recent Examples on the Web Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei prayed over the caskets of Iranian Revolutionary Guard Gen. Qassem Soleimani and others slain in the attack.
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CBS News, "Iran denies shooting at crowds protesting after plane was shot down," 13 Jan. 2020 The incident occurred in the Postbrook Apartment complex near 42nd Street and Post Road, about a block away from where teen siblings Ashlynn and Nicholas Nelson were found slain in their home in August.
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Holly V. Hays, Indianapolis Star, "Teen boy in critical condition following northeast side shooting," 8 Jan. 2020 Iranian Leader Press Office—Anadolu Agency/Getty Images Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei himself prayed over the caskets of Soleimani and others slain in the attack.
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Time, "'We Promise to Continue Down Martyr Soleimani's Path.' Huge Crowds of Mourners in Tehran Attend Funeral For Qasem Soleimani," 6 Jan. 2020 Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei himself prayed over the caskets of Soleimani and others slain in the attack.
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Nasser Karimi And Jon Gambrell, USA TODAY, "Iran's Supreme Leader weeps at Gen. Qasem Soleimani’s funeral as masses mourn," 6 Jan. 2020 Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei himself prayed over the caskets of Soleimani and others slain in the attack.
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Author: Nasser Karimi, Jon Gambrell, Anchorage Daily News, "Iran holds massive funeral for US-slain commander amid calls for vengeance," 6 Jan. 2020 In 1980, the bodies of four American churchwomen slain in El Salvador two days earlier were unearthed.
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BostonGlobe.com, "In 1942, during World War II, US bombers struck the Italian mainland for the first time with a raid on Naples. President Franklin D. Roosevelt ordered the dismantling of the Works Progress Administration, which had been created to provide jobs during the Depression.," 4 Dec. 2019 The former Navy sailor was sentenced to die in 2008 after Alameda County investigators linked his DNA to five young women slain in 1985: Betty Stuart, 22; Diane Stone; 17; Talita Dixon, 13; Monique Davis, 18; and Beverly Bryant, 24.
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San Diego Union-Tribune, "San Francisco Bay Area serial killer dies on death row," 18 Oct. 2019 The incident in Oregon was one of 18 mass killings in which family members were slain, and one of six that didn’t involve a gun.
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USA TODAY, "US mass killings hit a record high in 2019: 'This seems to be the age of mass shootings'," 30 Dec. 2019
See MoreThese 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.
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More Definitions for slay
slay
verbEnglish Language Learners Definition of slay
literary : to kill (someone or something) especially in a battle or war
US : to kill (someone)
chiefly US, informal + old-fashioned : to delight or amuse (someone) very much
See the full definition for slay in the English Language Learners Dictionary
slay
verb\ ˈslā \
\slew\ ˈslü \; slain\ ˈslān \; slaying
Kids Definition of slay
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The first known use of slay was before the 12th century
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