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
Peter SteinHe is accused of ordering the 1989 slayings and robberies of three drug dealers …—Joseph P. Fried
Joseph P. FriedExamples of slaying in a Sentence
a man wanted for the slaying of seven people during an armed robbery
Recent Examples on the Web
Lamar’s slaying is the 17th homicide in the Bronx this year.
—Kerry Burke, New York Daily News, 5 Mar. 2026
When asked about the jewelry shop homicides, the second teen identified Thomas as the driver of the getaway vehicle and identified both Thomas and the nephew in still images before and after the slaying.
—William Lee, Chicago Tribune, 4 Mar. 2026
Denver’s been bum-slaying for more than a month now.
—Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 2 Mar. 2026
Right now, the market sees nothing good, no bright side, to the slaying of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei because the Islamic Revolutionary Guard stays in place.
—Jim Cramer, CNBC, 2 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for slaying
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.
Kerry Burke, New York Daily News, 5 Mar. 2026
When asked about the jewelry shop homicides, the second teen identified Thomas as the driver of the getaway vehicle and identified both Thomas and the nephew in still images before and after the slaying.
—William Lee, Chicago Tribune, 4 Mar. 2026
Denver’s been bum-slaying for more than a month now.
—Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 2 Mar. 2026
Right now, the market sees nothing good, no bright side, to the slaying of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei because the Islamic Revolutionary Guard stays in place.
—Jim Cramer, CNBC, 2 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for slaying
Cite this Entry
“Slaying.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/slaying. Accessed 9 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
