slaying

noun

slay·​ing ˈslā-iŋ How to pronounce slaying (audio)
plural slayings
Synonyms of slayingnext
: the act of killing a person : killing, murder
used chiefly in journalistic writing
a gangland slaying
Sunday's slayings bring to 14 the number of killings this year in what police call gang-related attacks.Peter Stein
He is accused of ordering the 1989 slayings and robberies of three drug dealers …Joseph P. Fried

Examples of slaying in a Sentence

a man wanted for the slaying of seven people during an armed robbery
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
News 12 Brooklyn reported Thursday that police were looking for a man and a woman in connection with the slaying. Emma Seiwell, New York Daily News, 6 Feb. 2026 The group has a decades-long history in the Inland Empire, where it has been connected to two slayings and the disappearance of a third person. Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 6 Feb. 2026 There are the thrillers — take Good American Family, based upon the case of Natalia Grace; or Under the Banner of Heaven, a gripping exploration of a double murder and its connection to religion; or Under the Bridge, about the 1997 slaying of a 14-year-old girl. Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 31 Jan. 2026 During more than 700 hours of interviews, Little revealed details of dozens of other slayings only the real perpetrator could have known. Stephanie Nolasco, FOXNews.com, 31 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for slaying

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of slaying was in the 14th century

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Cite this Entry

“Slaying.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/slaying. Accessed 10 Feb. 2026.

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