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.
His two murder convictions came as a result of two grisly slayings in 1995, when Collins was 24. Austin Turner, CBS News, 20 Mar. 2026 The last of three men linked to the May 2023 slaying of a Little Rock man whose body was found in some bushes has been sentenced to eight years in prison. John Lynch, Arkansas Online, 11 Mar. 2026 Schneider pleaded guilty in March 1999 to racketeering charges that tied him to the slaying of the Gaugers and received 45 years in prison. Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 11 Mar. 2026 Instead, Miami-Dade Circuit Court Judge Marisa Tinkler Mendez decided whether Ragan deserved life or death for the slaying, which galvanized many in South Florida. Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 10 Mar. 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 22 Mar. 2026.

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