as in slaughter
the killing of a large number of people
the infamous massacre of more than 200 Sioux at Wounded Knee, South Dakota
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
as in to slaughter
to kill on a large scale
the country's rival ethnic groups began massacring one another
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of massacre
Bradford Betz, FOXNews.com, 11 Aug. 2025
Some Israelis on the left are more aware of this now, but the open wound of both the massacre itself and those twenty live hostages and thirty bodies kept remain obsessions.
—Isaac Chotiner, New Yorker, 10 Aug. 2025
Jordan Moreau, Variety, 1 July 2025
Husseini repaid these favors by inciting more anti-Jewish riots, notably in Hebron in 1929, in which 67 Jews were massacred and hundreds more were injured.
—Sean Durns, The Washington Examiner, 6 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for massacre
Noun
Australia has designated Hamas a terrorist entity and Albanese repeated Monday his government's calls for the group to return Israeli hostages held since the Oct. 7, 2023 massacre.
—Bradford Betz, FOXNews.com, 11 Aug. 2025
Some Israelis on the left are more aware of this now, but the open wound of both the massacre itself and those twenty live hostages and thirty bodies kept remain obsessions.
—Isaac Chotiner, New Yorker, 10 Aug. 2025
Verb
There are two shots of what appears to be the famous Trojan Horse — Odysseus’ master plan to sneak Greek soldiers into Troy, massacre the soldiers and sack the city to win the war.
—Jordan Moreau, Variety, 1 July 2025
Husseini repaid these favors by inciting more anti-Jewish riots, notably in Hebron in 1929, in which 67 Jews were massacred and hundreds more were injured.
—Sean Durns, The Washington Examiner, 6 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for massacre
Recent Examples of Synonyms for massacre
slaughter
Noun
-
The slaughter of Haitians and the destruction of private property by armed groups have not ceased.—
Jacqueline Charles,
Miami Herald,
15 Aug. 2025
-
Coupled with Morrow’s indifference to the slaughter of his crewmates, his willingness to let Prodigy’s soldiers stumble into danger is suspicious.—
Noel Murray,
Vulture,
13 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Massacre.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/massacre. Accessed 4 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share