decapitating

present participle of decapitate
as in heading
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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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 decapitating After decapitating the body, Kennedy tied the head to the top of the family's minivan with a bungee cord, making for a less-than-pleasant five-hour drive back home to Mount Kisco, New York, according to her recollection. Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA Today, 26 May 2026 Trump took hostilities to a new level during his second term, launching strikes on land and at sea and ultimately decapitating the government. Joseph Konig, PEOPLE, 13 May 2026 Matt is just another little boy spending his days decapitating daffodils, driven by a prepubescent need to get attention and assert his will. Big Think, 31 Mar. 2026 Seizing the island would deal a major blow to Tehran's economy, undercutting one of its most critical revenue streams and decapitating its key means of waging economic warfare. Chris Boccia, ABC News, 27 Mar. 2026 But, thus far, decapitating the regime has succeeded only in replacing one Ayatollah Khamenei with another. Franklin Foer, The Atlantic, 11 Mar. 2026 After June 2025, when Israel (for 12 days) and the United States (for one) launched strikes aimed at crippling Iran’s nuclear program and decapitating the IRGC leadership, Khamenei curtailed public appearances. Karl Vick, Time, 28 Feb. 2026 This isn’t the first time Mexico has taken a drug lord off the field, only to discover in short time that decapitating a cartel’s leadership doesn’t automatically translate into the organization’s collapse. Daniel Depetris, Mercury News, 26 Feb. 2026 At trial, a jury found the parents guilty of stabbing and decapitating the children. Terry Castleman, Los Angeles Times, 3 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for decapitating
Verb
  • Offensive tackle has to be considered their biggest worry heading into Week 1, and the overall O-line depth also remains a major concern, especially with quarterback Patrick Mahomes returning from December knee surgery.
    Jesse Newell, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026
  • Belgium had a five-point lead heading into the fourth quarter, before using a 11-2 run to start the period and gain a double-digit advantage.
    ABC News, ABC News, 7 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • In connection with the beheading threat, he was arrested on suspicion of making an interstate threatening communication.
    Emerson Clarridge, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 26 Aug. 2026
  • In the scene, massive logs strapped to a moving truck come undone and trigger multiple horrific deaths on a highway, with one log smashing through a state trooper’s car window and beheading him.
    Brian Anthony Hernandez, PEOPLE, 11 July 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Decapitating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/decapitating. Accessed 13 Sep. 2026.

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