as in headed
to cut off the head of
a particularly gruesome series of murders in which the victims were decapitated
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Recent Examples of decapitated
Authorities discovered Worden’s body — decapitated, mutilated and hung upside down like a deer in the barn — but that was just the beginning.
—
Nicole Acosta, PEOPLE, 4 Oct. 2025
Wildlife officials have put out a call to the public after the body of a dusky dolphin was found decapitated on a New Zealand beach.
—Irene Wright, Miami Herald, 16 Sep. 2025
Perhaps Clemson feared he'd get decapitated by Whit Weeks and Harold Perkins Jr.
—Matthew Schmidt, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Sep. 2025
Snails with eyes that grow back It's been known since at least the 18th century that some snails possess regenerative abilities, such as garden snails regrowing their heads after being decapitated.
—ArsTechnica, 31 Aug. 2025
They, too, were shot, killed, dismembered and decapitated.
—Lynsey Eidell, People.com, 28 Aug. 2025
With Moscow having its military stretched thin in Ukraine, and Iran’s air defenses laid bare after Israel had decapitated its proxy Hezbollah, both of these regional powers have lost significant leverage.
—Ariel Cohen, Forbes.com, 26 Aug. 2025
Earlier this year, authorities in Sinaloa state discovered 20 male bodies with gunshot wounds – including five that were decapitated – on a bridge over a federal highway.
—Mauricio Torres, CNN Money, 19 Aug. 2025
Doctors in China pulled off a medical miracle, saving a patient who was nearly decapitated by a robotic arm.
—Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 18 Aug. 2025
Nicole Acosta, PEOPLE, 4 Oct. 2025
Wildlife officials have put out a call to the public after the body of a dusky dolphin was found decapitated on a New Zealand beach.
—Irene Wright, Miami Herald, 16 Sep. 2025
Perhaps Clemson feared he'd get decapitated by Whit Weeks and Harold Perkins Jr.
—Matthew Schmidt, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Sep. 2025
Snails with eyes that grow back It's been known since at least the 18th century that some snails possess regenerative abilities, such as garden snails regrowing their heads after being decapitated.
—ArsTechnica, 31 Aug. 2025
They, too, were shot, killed, dismembered and decapitated.
—Lynsey Eidell, People.com, 28 Aug. 2025
With Moscow having its military stretched thin in Ukraine, and Iran’s air defenses laid bare after Israel had decapitated its proxy Hezbollah, both of these regional powers have lost significant leverage.
—Ariel Cohen, Forbes.com, 26 Aug. 2025
Earlier this year, authorities in Sinaloa state discovered 20 male bodies with gunshot wounds – including five that were decapitated – on a bridge over a federal highway.
—Mauricio Torres, CNN Money, 19 Aug. 2025
Doctors in China pulled off a medical miracle, saving a patient who was nearly decapitated by a robotic arm.
—Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 18 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for decapitated
Verb
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Grealish, no longer prone, headed, just like Moyes, to the South Stand and appeared to blow a kiss to adoring fans.—
Patrick Boyland,
New York Times,
6 Oct. 2025
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Riding a pair of fourth-down stops on defense, including a goal-line stand, and the 72-yard touchdown drive capped by Madsen, Boise State headed into halftime trailing just 14-7.—
Jim Keyser,
Idaho Statesman,
5 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The first two of these were found out and, unfortunately for them, beheaded, but fake news had a strong grip.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
28 Sep. 2025
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Journalist Daniel Pearl getting beheaded in 2002.—
James Hibberd,
HollywoodReporter,
12 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Decapitated.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/decapitated. Accessed 7 Oct. 2025.
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