kills 1 of 2

present tense third-person singular of kill
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kills

2 of 2

noun

plural of kill

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 kills
Verb
Agent Orange is a powerful chemical that kills weeds and acts as a defoliant, which the military used during the war in Vietnam to clear dense jungle and destroy food crops. Armando Tinoco, Deadline, 10 Aug. 2026 In retaliation for Kanan murdering her father Marvin (London Brown), Jukebox (Hailey Kilgrove) kills Raq, the woman who raised her. Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 8 Aug. 2026 Gollum and the Ring also fall into Mount Doom, while Sauron is defeated, Aragorn goes on to rule, and Éowyn, disguised as a male warrior, kills the Witch-king of Angmar. Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 7 Aug. 2026 The flu kills between 6,300 and 52,000 people each year, according to the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention. Claire Cameron, Scientific American, 6 Aug. 2026 The president himself apparently forages exclusively on McDonald’s and Diet Coke, and supposedly believes the soda kills cancer. Frank Landymore, Futurism, 6 Aug. 2026 That mismatch kills projects on their way to a positive return and rewards the ones that produce a fast, shallow win. Sandy Carter, Forbes.com, 6 Aug. 2026 The alcohol dissolves their waxy coating and kills them on contact. Leanne Potts, Better Homes & Gardens, 5 Aug. 2026 To make matters worse for Gen, Kayley kills it in her first hours of chief-stew-dom. Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 4 Aug. 2026
Noun
Texas picked it up in the second half and finished with 37 deflections and four kills — a kill represents three consecutive defensive stops — to stymie a Bulldogs team that had won four of its last five games on the road. Kirk Bohls, Houston Chronicle, 24 Jan. 2026 Cos-Okpalla clinched three of the last five points for Texas A&M with two kills and an assisted block, including a final kill over the middle for match point. Pj Green, Kansas City Star, 19 Dec. 2025 Pugh then scored on back-to-back kills later in the set, scored on a block and scored on a kill for the final point of the set. Lou Ponsi, Oc Register, 14 Oct. 2025 Harris had two kills during a 5-1 run that closed out the first game and a kill, block and ace during a comeback in the second game. Jeff Vorva, Chicago Tribune, 28 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for kills
Verb
  • The finale’s real tragedy is that Max, in his own warped pursuit of justice, destroys everyone around him before being forced to see his entire crusade differently.
    JP Mangalindan, Time, 31 July 2026
  • Alas the aforementioned entity has invaded MJ’s mind, if not body, and destroys any idea that this passionate moment was actually real.
    Pete Hammond, Deadline, 28 July 2026
Verb
  • Rhaenyra also dismisses Mysaria, a wise move carried out in a very unwise manner, given the woman’s cunning.
    Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
  • One automatically ascribes fraud to results that are often predictable, even routine; the other dismisses legitimate concerns as conspiracy theories.
    Andrew E. Busch, The Conversation, 23 July 2026
Verb
  • The robot could make AI lessons more engaging, but families still need clear answers about what Optio remembers, who can access that data and when the district deletes it.
    Jesse Watson, FOXNews.com, 3 Aug. 2026
  • This immediately and irreversibly deletes all data and eSIMs stored on the device.
    Ryan Whitwam, ArsTechnica, 27 July 2026
Verb
  • An Arizona resident wears it to protect themselves from the sun.
    Essence Wiley, InStyle, 8 Aug. 2026
  • In film, this hairstyle has become emblematic, notably in Bend It Like Beckham, where Keira Knightley wears it with a short curtain crop.
    Elise Fabre, Glamour, 8 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Meanwhile, what fascinates aspiring neurologist Makenzie Stovall is the idea that AI is trying to emulate the brain — an organ whose inner workings continue to leave researchers dumbfounded.
    ABC News, ABC News, 3 Aug. 2026
  • But the skillful way in which they are woven together belies the efforts that went into telling this story, and Lovely Reader, this dedication to quality fascinates me.
    Rachel Elspeth Gross, Forbes.com, 10 July 2026
Verb
  • The man looks down almost immediately after the light turns on when the light deactivates.
    Perry Vandell, AZCentral.com, 10 Feb. 2026
  • This higher temperature darkens the paste, slightly caramelizes the sugar, and deactivates enzymes that would otherwise break down pectin, resulting in a thicker, more cooked-tasting product.
    Anne Wolf, Martha Stewart, 7 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • The police investigation was launched following complaints from relatives of the victims of the Gwangju crackdown, which official records say left about 200 people dead.
    ABC News, ABC News, 6 Aug. 2026
  • Unlike the Tribune, none of the outlets Welch spoke with had interviewed the harassment victims, leaving Welch to present a largely one-sided account.
    Rick Pearson, Chicago Tribune, 6 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • Many of us formed our first impressions of pear scents through fruity shampoos and body washes.
    Ariel Wodarcyk, InStyle, 3 Aug. 2026
  • After multiple washes, reviewers say both pieces still look and feel fresh.
    Paris Wilson, Travel + Leisure, 2 Aug. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Kills.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/kills. Accessed 12 Aug. 2026.

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