slaying

noun

slay·​ing ˈslā-iŋ How to pronounce slaying (audio)
plural slayings
: 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.
Dennis, 53, was on Florida’s Death Row from 1999 to 2017, serving time for the April 13, 1996, slayings at Barnes’ apartment. Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 29 Oct. 2025 The brutal slaying rocked the town, where such crimes were basically unheard of. Miles Klee, Rolling Stone, 28 Oct. 2025 What follows is a convoluted (but campily entertaining) combination of the occult, genetic engineering and, of course, a lot of slayings. Jessica Sager, PEOPLE, 24 Oct. 2025 Waldron was sentenced to 178 years to life for the slaying. City News Service, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 Oct. 2025 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 31 Oct. 2025.

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