kill 1 of 2

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as in to dismiss
to reject by or as if by a vote the Senate killed the bill by a single vote

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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kill

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noun

Synonym Chooser

How is the word kill distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of kill are assassinate, dispatch, execute, murder, and slay. While all these words mean "to deprive of life," kill merely states the fact of death caused by an agency in any manner.

killed in an accident
frost killed the plants

In what contexts can assassinate take the place of kill?

While in some cases nearly identical to kill, assassinate applies to deliberate killing openly or secretly often for political motives.

terrorists assassinated the Senator

When would dispatch be a good substitute for kill?

While the synonyms dispatch and kill are close in meaning, dispatch stresses quickness and directness in putting to death.

dispatched the sentry with one bullet

When is it sensible to use execute instead of kill?

The meanings of execute and kill largely overlap; however, execute stresses putting to death as a legal penalty.

executed by lethal gas

Where would murder be a reasonable alternative to kill?

The synonyms murder and kill are sometimes interchangeable, but murder specifically implies stealth and motive and premeditation and therefore full moral responsibility.

convicted of murdering a rival

When might slay be a better fit than kill?

In some situations, the words slay and kill are roughly equivalent. However, slay is a chiefly literary term implying deliberateness and violence but not necessarily motive.

slew thousands of the Philistines

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 kill
Verb
At least 19 people were killed in Kentucky when a tornado hit the area in mid-May. Hannah Parry, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 June 2025 Without treatment, the disease eventually kills the corals, and their soft tissue falls off, revealing the white calcium carbonate skeleton below. Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 5 June 2025
Noun
Trevino added seven kills, three stuff blocks and two aces, and setter Wood had four stuff blocks, three kills and an ace. Tim Meehan, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 May 2025 Carolina has the top penalty kill in the playoffs, at 93.3 percent. Carol Schram, Forbes.com, 20 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for kill
Recent Examples of Synonyms for kill
Verb
  • Aid distributed inside Israeli military zones Gaza’s roughly 2 million Palestinians are almost completely reliant on international aid because nearly all food production capabilities have been destroyed.
    Wafaa Shurafa, Los Angeles Times, 8 June 2025
  • Ukraine underscored the risk to advanced military powers on June 1 when its inexpensive drones damaged or destroyed strategic warplanes across Russia.
    Tom Vanden Brook, USA Today, 8 June 2025
Verb
  • He was dismissed at the end of his two-year probationary period under the Biden administration.
    Ximena Bustillo, NPR, 6 June 2025
  • Congressional Republicans, many of whom had also grown annoyed with Musk over the last few months, have largely dismissed the billionaire’s fiery opposition to the bill.
    Phil Mattingly, CNN Money, 6 June 2025
Verb
  • In addition to looking at whether the information was classified and who wrote it, investigators are also asking whether any staff members were asked by Hegseth or others to delete messages, according to one person familiar with the IG probe.
    Luis Martinez, ABC News, 7 June 2025
  • The daylong feud between Musk and Trump on their respective social media platforms featured many accusations and threats, but as the president signals he is done with his onetime adviser, Musk has since deleted two of his most inflammatory posts from his X account.
    Zach LaChance, The Washington Examiner, 7 June 2025
Verb
  • Other supporters wore white and packed the stands of the high school gymnasium Tuesday night, when the volleyball team dedicated a match to their missing teammate.
    Holly Ramer, Los Angeles Times, 4 June 2025
  • Henson wore a look courtesy of Siriano’s fall 2025 ready-to-wear collection, which made its runway debut during New York Fashion Week in February 2025.
    Julia Teti, Footwear News, 4 June 2025
Verb
  • Do different cultures engage with Napoleon’s legacy differently? PJC: The Anglo-Saxons are fascinated by the romantic aspect of his period as an exile.
    Anthony DeMarco, Forbes.com, 3 June 2025
  • As for Mourinho, Greenhalgh was fascinated by his approach.
    Stuart James, New York Times, 31 May 2025
Verb
  • When the engine is turned off, the system deactivates with an eerie sound.
    James Raia, Mercury News, 25 May 2025
  • On top of the spending cuts, DOGE has also deactivated half a million federal credit cards, used by government staff to make purchases on behalf of agencies.
    Theo Burman, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 May 2025
Noun
  • Jones added what doesn't make sense in all this is Gov. Gavin Newsom's Democratic Party continues to push to protect perpetrators instead of victims and using the Menendez brothers' case to get their bill across the finish line.
    Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 8 June 2025
  • These tactics are designed to lead the victim straight onto a negotiation footing where the attacker has the upper hand.
    Davey Winder, Forbes.com, 7 June 2025
Noun
  • Ralph Rosado has defeated Jose Regalado in Miami’s District 4 race, concluding a special election that promises to tip the scales of power on the City Commission.
    Tess Riski, Miami Herald, 4 June 2025
  • Exploring in Free Roam mode provides the best sense of scale for the game's massive, multi-ecosystem island in a way individual races just can't.
    ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 3 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Kill.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/kill. Accessed 12 Jun. 2025.

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