1
as in slicing
to penetrate with a sharp edge (as a knife)
the tire appears to have been deliberately slashed
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in whipping
to strike repeatedly with something long and thin or flexible
wildly slashing the ground with his club and never once hitting the golf ball he was aiming at
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of slashing
The pair were arguing when Shaw drew a knife and attacked the victim, stabbing him in the back and slashing his neck and elbow, said police.
—
Kerry Burke, New York Daily News, 22 Jan. 2026
And liberals had wanted party leaders to go much further by slashing ICE’s budget and installing new rules governing the conduct of ICE officers, including a ban on face masks and explicit warrant requirements prior to arrests.
—Sudiksha Kochi, The Hill, 20 Jan. 2026
Left to carry the weight Mayor Arunan Arulampalam said Hartford is a city of 120,000 people where half of the property is not taxable, deeply slashing the city’s revenue.
—Livi Stanford, Hartford Courant, 19 Jan. 2026
In recent years, private-equity deals have been seen to milk businesses for profit by slashing costs and quality, and have appeared to play a role in the breakup of some legacy retail brands, including Toys R Us, Red Lobster, TGI Fridays and fabrics chain JoAnn Inc.
—Suhauna Hussain The Los Angeles Times, Arkansas Online, 18 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for slashing
Kerry Burke, New York Daily News, 22 Jan. 2026
And liberals had wanted party leaders to go much further by slashing ICE’s budget and installing new rules governing the conduct of ICE officers, including a ban on face masks and explicit warrant requirements prior to arrests.
—Sudiksha Kochi, The Hill, 20 Jan. 2026
Left to carry the weight Mayor Arunan Arulampalam said Hartford is a city of 120,000 people where half of the property is not taxable, deeply slashing the city’s revenue.
—Livi Stanford, Hartford Courant, 19 Jan. 2026
In recent years, private-equity deals have been seen to milk businesses for profit by slashing costs and quality, and have appeared to play a role in the breakup of some legacy retail brands, including Toys R Us, Red Lobster, TGI Fridays and fabrics chain JoAnn Inc.
—Suhauna Hussain The Los Angeles Times, Arkansas Online, 18 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for slashing
Recent Examples of Synonyms for slashing
Verb
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Traoré did flip the tone with his aggression, slicing to the rim for two straight baskets, but Denver’s shooting kept piling up.—
C.J. Holmes,
New York Daily News,
30 Jan. 2026
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These include sashimi-bōchō (precise, single-stroke slicing techniques used to preserve the texture and appearance of the fish) and shiojime, or salt curing, which uses salt to draw out moisture, concentrate flavor, and improve the texture of the fish.—
Annie Daly,
SELF,
28 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Doncic played a role in both clutch shots, first whipping a one-handed pass behind his back across the court to Gabe Vincent, who shoveled the ball with one hand to Hachimura.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
27 Jan. 2026
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Would the place that had been home for months withstand the whipping winds?—
Ginny Monk,
Hartford Courant,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
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When Rochelle Luna, 18, arrived at the house hours later, Djerf bound, gagged and raped her before stabbing her and slitting her throat, court records said.—
Elena Santa Cruz,
AZCentral.com,
19 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The novel is described as a reimagination of Cinderella, with Sophie and Benedict meeting at a masquerade ball, with Sophie hiding her identity because of her role as a maid.—
Jason Pham,
StyleCaster,
29 Jan. 2026
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In the late 1700s, when the Spanish built missions nearby at San Juan Bautista, Santa Clara, Carmel and Santa Cruz, natives often fled to avoid cruel conditions, tribal leaders have noted, hiding on Sargent Ranch, in the hills of Pacheco Pass, and other remote locations.—
Paul Rogers,
Mercury News,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
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When the Bulls fired Thibodeau in 2015 with two years and around $9 million left on his contract, Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf felt the need to put out a statement ripping his communication skills.—
Paul Sullivan,
Chicago Tribune,
26 Jan. 2026
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Scammers make their living by ripping people off, so the government agency suggests doing a little sleuthing before going too far or moving too fast.—
Lew Sichelman,
Miami Herald,
23 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Although the Jayhawks led by as many as 21 points, BYU stayed within striking distance in the second half, cutting the lead to six as the clock ticked under two minutes to go.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
1 Feb. 2026
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There were cancellations and delays, with the Department of Transportation cutting flights due to safety concerns.—
Caitlin Yilek,
CBS News,
31 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Alijah Arenas switched between his forehand shot and backhand, flicking the plastic ball over the net to his opponent, former NBA star Brandon Jennings.—
Haley Sawyer,
Oc Register,
20 Jan. 2026
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While the horses were flicking sand like fireworks.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
15 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Vance often has served as an attack dog for the administration, including lashing out at Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during an Oval Office visit.—
Zac Anderson,
USA Today,
21 Jan. 2026
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Chappell took to social media to vent some of her ire, lashing out at the Biden administration.—
Alexandra Rockey Fleming,
PEOPLE,
14 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Slashing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/slashing. Accessed 2 Feb. 2026.
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