slaying

1 of 2

noun

slay·​ing ˈslā-iŋ 

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

slaying

2 of 2

present participle of slay

Synonyms of slaying

Noun

• murder
• homicide
• killing

Examples of slaying in a Sentence

Noun

a man wanted for the slaying of seven people during an armed robbery

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Anyone with information about the slaying or the suspect is asked to call Crime Stoppers at (800) 577-TIPS. — Rebecca White, New York Daily News, 25 Sep. 2026

During the trial, prosecutors said Kosowski was obsessed with Cozzi — and his fixation drove him to plot the slaying. — Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 23 Sep. 2026

Nick Reiner asked the court for trust fund money owed to him before his parents’ slayings. — Jack Dolan, Los Angeles Times, 23 Sep. 2026

Although Lizzie was arrested and charged with the slayings, she was found not guilty. — Caroline Blair, PEOPLE, 18 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for slaying

• baying
• braying
• faying
• flaying
• fraying
• graying
• greying
• haying
• laying
• neighing
• paying
• playing