slaying

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

Synonyms

• blood
• foul play
• homicide
• murder
• rubout

Examples of slaying in a Sentence

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

Recent Examples on the Web

Yolo County District Attorney’s prosecutors decided not to pursue the death penalty in the slayings. —Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 27 Apr. 2025

The manhunt The slaying of Pascal shocked in the Upper Florida Keys community, which, while certainly not immune from crime, rarely experiences brutal murders. —David Goodhue, Miami Herald, 24 Apr. 2025

What else is going on The slaying of a 13-year-old boy has devastated an L.A. immigrant community. —Ryan Fonseca, Los Angeles Times, 18 Apr. 2025

An 18-year-old man pleaded guilty to the slaying at Brisbane Supreme Court on Monday, April 7. —Latoya Gayle, People.com, 7 Apr. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for slaying

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