slay

Synonym Chooser

How is the word slay distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of slay are assassinate, dispatch, execute, kill, and murder. While all these words mean "to deprive of life," slay is a chiefly literary term implying deliberateness and violence but not necessarily motive.

slew thousands of the Philistines

Where would assassinate be a reasonable alternative to slay?

The words assassinate and slay can be used in similar contexts, but assassinate applies to deliberate killing openly or secretly often for political motives.

terrorists assassinated the Senator

In what contexts can dispatch take the place of slay?

Although the words dispatch and slay have much in common, dispatch stresses quickness and directness in putting to death.

dispatched the sentry with one bullet

When can execute be used instead of slay?

The words execute and slay are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, execute stresses putting to death as a legal penalty.

executed by lethal gas

When might kill be a better fit than slay?

The synonyms kill and slay are sometimes interchangeable, but kill merely states the fact of death caused by an agency in any manner.

killed in an accident
frost killed the plants

When is it sensible to use murder instead of slay?

While in some cases nearly identical to slay, murder specifically implies stealth and motive and premeditation and therefore full moral responsibility.

convicted of murdering a rival

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 slay Chris Pratt has saved the galaxy, battled velociraptors and is now playing an LAPD detective accused by an AI court of slaying his wife in Amazon MGM Studios‘ upcoming Mercy from Timur Bekmambetov. Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 9 Oct. 2025 Three human artists, EJAE, Rei Ami, and Audrey Nuna, are the singing voices of the demon-slaying main characters. Jennifer Zhan, Vulture, 9 Oct. 2025 Turns out it’s filled with demons to slay, and the goal is to find a key to unlock an exit in the backyard. James Folta, Literary Hub, 6 Oct. 2025 Murray, 72, was found slain and bound with duct tape and zip ties in the basement of his home in the 3700 block of Newcastle after his wife called 911 to report a robbery. Christina Hall, Freep.com, 3 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for slay
Recent Examples of Synonyms for slay
Verb
  • However, the demon baby then proceeded to brutally rip apart and kill Teddy, Phil, and Susie, leaving only Lilly and Ronnie alive before the credits rolled.
    Megan McCluskey, Time, 27 Oct. 2025
  • Israel’s offensive in Gaza, launched in response to the Palestinian Islamist militant group Hamas’s attack on southern Israeli communities on October 7, 2023, has killed tens of thousands of Palestinians and laid waste to swaths of territory.
    Reuters, CNN Money, 27 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Trump was close to Abe, who was assassinated after leaving office.
    Preston Fore, Fortune, 25 Oct. 2025
  • After he was assassinated in September at Utah Valley University, the first stop on his tour, TPUSA announced Carlson would speak at IU instead.
    Marissa Meador, IndyStar, 22 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The Japanese battleship Musashi, one of the largest ever built, was destroyed.
    Arizona Republic, AZCentral.com, 26 Oct. 2025
  • Russian air defense systems destroyed one drone heading for Moscow, the city’s mayor Sergei Sobyanin said on Sunday, according to Reuters.
    Laura Sharman, CNN Money, 26 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • According to a news release from the Tennessee District Attorneys General Conference, Tipton had a disagreement with Fuller the night before she was murdered.
    KC Baker, PEOPLE, 28 Oct. 2025
  • Whitaker was murdered in her home in 2014.
    Cate Charron, IndyStar, 27 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Johnson reportedly regained control of the vehicle and attempted to flee again, but police executed a ramming technique, known as a tactical vehicle intervention, to disable the vehicle, the release says.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 23 Oct. 2025
  • Of course, the demands of a home crowd make that a more complicated gameplan to execute at Old Trafford than Anfield.
    Laurie Whitwell, New York Times, 23 Oct. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Slay.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/slay. Accessed 28 Oct. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on slay

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!