1
as in killed
to deprive of life
millions have been slain worldwide by this dreadful disease
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in murdered
to put to death deliberately
vowed to slay without mercy whoever was responsible for murdering his family
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 slain
Trump has fired the vast majority of his Middle Eastern experts, while dozens of Iran’s top officials have been slain in the conflict.
—
Charlie Campbell, Time, 9 Apr. 2026
At least 35 searchers have been slain in Mexico since 2010, according to Article 19, a rights group.
—Los Angeles Times, 6 Apr. 2026
The targeting of the three journalists comes two days after the killing of the photojournalist/camera operated Hussain Hamood, and nine days following the killing of Al-Manar head of programming Mohammed Sherri, who was slain in an Israeli strike in central Beirut.
—Natalie Oganesyan, Deadline, 28 Mar. 2026
During the national anthem Friday, the Iranian team honored the memory of the slain children by placing small pink and purple school backpacks in front of them.
—ABC News, 27 Mar. 2026
The latest was Ali Larijani, a fixture of Iranian politics and repression, and one of the slain Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei’s most unflinching loyalists.
—Jason Rezaian, New Yorker, 24 Mar. 2026
Instead, Smith was slain in a shootout.
—Emerson Clarridge, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 20 Mar. 2026
Demorcy said some bullets and fragments remained in the slain president's body because removing all of them would have taken days and further damaged the remains.
—Tania Francois, CBS News, 13 Mar. 2026
Iran will begin mourning its slain Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei today, Iranian state media has reported.
—Matt Nighswander, NBC news, 4 Mar. 2026
Charlie Campbell, Time, 9 Apr. 2026
At least 35 searchers have been slain in Mexico since 2010, according to Article 19, a rights group.
—Los Angeles Times, 6 Apr. 2026
The targeting of the three journalists comes two days after the killing of the photojournalist/camera operated Hussain Hamood, and nine days following the killing of Al-Manar head of programming Mohammed Sherri, who was slain in an Israeli strike in central Beirut.
—Natalie Oganesyan, Deadline, 28 Mar. 2026
During the national anthem Friday, the Iranian team honored the memory of the slain children by placing small pink and purple school backpacks in front of them.
—ABC News, 27 Mar. 2026
The latest was Ali Larijani, a fixture of Iranian politics and repression, and one of the slain Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei’s most unflinching loyalists.
—Jason Rezaian, New Yorker, 24 Mar. 2026
Instead, Smith was slain in a shootout.
—Emerson Clarridge, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 20 Mar. 2026
Demorcy said some bullets and fragments remained in the slain president's body because removing all of them would have taken days and further damaged the remains.
—Tania Francois, CBS News, 13 Mar. 2026
Iran will begin mourning its slain Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei today, Iranian state media has reported.
—Matt Nighswander, NBC news, 4 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for slain
Verb
-
Five of the eight people arrested in connection with last year's Esparto explosion, which killed seven men, were arraigned in Yolo County court on Monday.—
Richard Ramos,
CBS News,
14 Apr. 2026
-
In 2017, Judith organized a group of surviving twins to gather in Jerusalem, where a plaque was unveiled in honor of the twin children who were killed.—
Alexandra Schonfeld,
PEOPLE,
14 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Most of Arminius’s family had been murdered by Spanish soldiers.—
Anthony Lane,
New Yorker,
13 Apr. 2026
-
Casey Becker was one of the very first characters to be murdered by Ghostface in the 1996 horror film.—
Emlyn Travis,
Entertainment Weekly,
13 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
While there are no comprehensive studies comparing the environmental impacts of cultivated versus conventional seafood, alternatives like Wildtype could avoid ocean pollution and overfishing, which have caused losses in biodiversity and destroyed the ocean’s resiliency.—
Jaia Clingham-David,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
15 Apr. 2026
-
Yutu destroyed 85% of the Saipan campus of Northern Marianas College, said the school's president, Galvin Deleon Guerrero.—
Emily Mae Czachor,
CBS News,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
In July 1963, he and other members of the Everest team, including Gombu, were presented the Hubbard Medal of the National Geographic Society — which partially sponsored the expedition — by President Kennedy, four months before the president was assassinated.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Apr. 2026
-
Presidents and presidential candidates have been assassinated.—
Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board,
The Orlando Sentinel,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Fox News was on the ground as authorities executed a search warrant in Spring, Texas.—
Sarah Rumpf-Whitten , Brooke Taylor,
FOXNews.com,
14 Apr. 2026
-
If the transaction passes the check, the transaction is executed.—
Jack Kubinec,
Fortune,
14 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Slain.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/slain. Accessed 15 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
