as in murdering
to kill on a large scale
modern poultry farms slaughter a vast number of chickens every day
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Recent Examples of slaughtering
Before openly slaughtering thousands of protesters last month, Iran’s leaders had rejected chance after chance to improve the lives of their own people.
—
Bloomberg Opinion, Twin Cities, 26 Feb. 2026
After recently slaughtering thousands of peaceful protesters, including shooting protesters in their hospital beds, Iran has been elected by the UN to serve as vice chair of the UN Commission for Social Development.
—Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 18 Feb. 2026
During one of her tantrums, Cathy walks by Heathcliff and other hired hands slaughtering a pig, the blood flooding the courtyard of Wuthering Heights.
—Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 16 Feb. 2026
Some parts of Route 65 looked more like an artillery range, with rim-bending, tire-tearing, and suspension-slaughtering potholes blossoming from the black top.
—Ross Guidotti, CBS News, 16 Feb. 2026
In Jonathan Miles’s novella, a man is tasked with saving an island sanctuary by slaughtering thousands of goats.
—Ron Charles, Washington Post, 4 Feb. 2026
The pearl-clutchers are stuck in the past, blubbering over things like the My Lai massacre during the Vietnam War or the Waffen-SS slaughtering 84 American soldiers captured in Malmedy, Belgium, during the Battle of the Bulge.
—Doug McIntyre, Oc Register, 7 Dec. 2025
Rival gangs and abusive guards already make survival a waking nightmare, but when an unseen force begins slaughtering inmates one by one, the prison spirals into chaos.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 1 Dec. 2025
Despite the fact ostrich feathers can be harvested without slaughtering, Collective Fashion Justice published research in 2023 that found all ostrich feather production systems ultimately kill the bird.
—Leah Dolan, CNN Money, 30 Oct. 2025
Bloomberg Opinion, Twin Cities, 26 Feb. 2026
After recently slaughtering thousands of peaceful protesters, including shooting protesters in their hospital beds, Iran has been elected by the UN to serve as vice chair of the UN Commission for Social Development.
—Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 18 Feb. 2026
During one of her tantrums, Cathy walks by Heathcliff and other hired hands slaughtering a pig, the blood flooding the courtyard of Wuthering Heights.
—Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 16 Feb. 2026
Some parts of Route 65 looked more like an artillery range, with rim-bending, tire-tearing, and suspension-slaughtering potholes blossoming from the black top.
—Ross Guidotti, CBS News, 16 Feb. 2026
In Jonathan Miles’s novella, a man is tasked with saving an island sanctuary by slaughtering thousands of goats.
—Ron Charles, Washington Post, 4 Feb. 2026
The pearl-clutchers are stuck in the past, blubbering over things like the My Lai massacre during the Vietnam War or the Waffen-SS slaughtering 84 American soldiers captured in Malmedy, Belgium, during the Battle of the Bulge.
—Doug McIntyre, Oc Register, 7 Dec. 2025
Rival gangs and abusive guards already make survival a waking nightmare, but when an unseen force begins slaughtering inmates one by one, the prison spirals into chaos.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 1 Dec. 2025
Despite the fact ostrich feathers can be harvested without slaughtering, Collective Fashion Justice published research in 2023 that found all ostrich feather production systems ultimately kill the bird.
—Leah Dolan, CNN Money, 30 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for slaughtering
Verb
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Mehdi Razavi, 48, of Maple Ridge, British Columbia, and Arezou Soltani, 45, of North Vancouver, British Columbia, were arrested in suspicion of murdering a former university math instructor and critic of Iran's Revolutionary Guard, police in Canada said.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
18 Mar. 2026
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Kouri Richins, a Utah mother accused of murdering her husband and later publishing a children's book about grief, has been found guilty on all charges by a jury in Utah.—
Emily Mae Czachor,
CBS News,
17 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The regime of the Islamic Republic of Iran is massacring young people and destroying Iran’s future.—
Benjamin Weinthal,
FOXNews.com,
19 Mar. 2026
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The military has been documented going on bloody rampages, torching and bombing villages, massacring residents, jailing opponents and forcing young men and women to join the army.—
Ross Adkin,
CNN Money,
27 Dec. 2025
Verb
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Taylor, 35, has been slaying this award season, not only on the red carpet but also by earning an Oscar nomination for best supporting actress in Paul Thomas Anderson's action dramedy.—
Taylor Ardrey,
USA Today,
16 Mar. 2026
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The 16-year-old son of slaying victim Yesenia Hall heard his mom’s screams from the bedroom of their third-floor apartment early Saturday.—
Rebecca White,
New York Daily News,
1 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The scholars argue that decisions involving life and human dignity must remain in human hands, warning that AI systems capable of selecting and executing targets fundamentally alter the moral nature of war.—
Sharon Goldman,
Fortune,
19 Mar. 2026
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But there must be a heavy price for the regime for executing young people like this.—
Benjamin Weinthal,
FOXNews.com,
19 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The man, purportedly Weis, who is now in police custody, was discovered late Monday night by security after hearing reports of someone destroying glass sculptures on the grounds.—
News Desk,
Artforum,
20 Mar. 2026
-
The regime of the Islamic Republic of Iran is massacring young people and destroying Iran’s future.—
Benjamin Weinthal,
FOXNews.com,
19 Mar. 2026
Verb
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France's government is bolstering the country's military presence in the Middle East, dispatching its aircraft carrier and other warships, while President Emmanuel Macron engages with key players in the conflict, including Iran, in a bid to position Paris for future diplomatic talks.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
16 Mar. 2026
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Since then, the agency has increased training on STAR and focused internal quality assurance processes on the dispatching process.—
Shelly Bradbury,
Denver Post,
15 Mar. 2026
Verb
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At first, the recruits wonder if this is all part of the big test, though when the machine starts butchering them, the sole survivors realise that something else is up.—
Sergio Pereira,
Space.com,
11 Mar. 2026
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For nearly half a century, Iran has been a thorn in the side of the United States, killing and maiming American soldiers, butchering Israeli citizens, threatening its neighbors and fostering terror around the globe.—
Chris Roemer,
Baltimore Sun,
5 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Slaughtering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/slaughtering. Accessed 23 Mar. 2026.
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