as in murder
the intentional and unlawful taking of another person's life
a man wanted for the slaying of seven people during an armed robbery
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
1
as in killing
to deprive of life
millions have been slain worldwide by this dreadful disease
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in murdering
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
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Recent Examples of slaying
Jessica Sager, PEOPLE, 30 May 2026
Los Angeles police homicide detectives believe the slaying of a family of four, including a 6-day-old baby, in a quiet San Fernando Valley neighborhood was the result of a murder-suicide, authorities said.
—Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 28 May 2026
Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 2 May 2026
Swap between different characters (Dante, Nero, and V), each with their own unique demon-slaying powers.
—George Yang, PC Magazine, 1 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for slaying
Noun
Notably, van der Sloot did so long after the 12-year statute of limitations in Aruba, which meant he may not be charged with the slaying, according to NBC News.
—Jessica Sager, PEOPLE, 30 May 2026
Los Angeles police homicide detectives believe the slaying of a family of four, including a 6-day-old baby, in a quiet San Fernando Valley neighborhood was the result of a murder-suicide, authorities said.
—Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 28 May 2026
Verb
Behold, summer is officially here with two movies that are slaying around the globe.
—Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 2 May 2026
Swap between different characters (Dante, Nero, and V), each with their own unique demon-slaying powers.
—George Yang, PC Magazine, 1 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for slaying
Recent Examples of Synonyms for slaying
Noun
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Digwa, 23, was convicted of murder for stabbing Nowak with an 8-inch (21 centimeter) Sikh dagger and sentenced this week to life in prison with a minimum 21-year term.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
7 June 2026
-
Jenny’s murder strengthens her resolve.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
7 June 2026
Verb
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Those humans had been killing elk for a very long time and may have even followed the elk and bison onto the continent.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
10 June 2026
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Anthony, now 19, was accused of killing Metcalf on April 2, 2025, at Kuykendall Stadium in Frisco.—
Doug Myers,
CBS News,
10 June 2026
Verb
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Nick Reiner, accused of murdering his parents, director Rob and producer Michele Reiner, has filed a legal petition to tap his trust fund for his criminal defense.—
Emily St. Martin,
Los Angeles Times,
9 June 2026
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Murdaugh, 57, was convicted in March 2023 of murdering his wife, Maggie, 52, and their 22-year-old son, Paul, at the family’s sprawling hunting estate in Colleton County in June 2021.—
Sarah Rumpf-Whitten,
FOXNews.com,
8 June 2026
Noun
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However, a subsequent investigation ruled out drowning as the cause of death and determined the toddler’s death was a homicide, prosecutors said.—
Sydney Barragan,
Oc Register,
10 June 2026
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The Sacramento Police Department announced on Tuesday that investigators secured a homicide arrest warrant for an additional suspect, saying that a 17-year-old boy was taken into custody and booked into juvenile hall.—
Richard Ramos,
CBS News,
10 June 2026
Verb
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It was compounded when a West Contra Costa storage unit caught fire, destroying Alvin’s belongings, their mother testified.—
Nate Gartrell,
Mercury News,
29 May 2026
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Truly domesticating bees required a hive with movable frames, one that would allow beekeepers to examine their bees and harvest honey without destroying the colony.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
27 May 2026
Verb
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Since the start of the war in 2022, Ukrainian military intelligence has claimed responsibility for assassinating several senior Russian officers, some of whom have appeared on a public list of Ukraine’s enemies.—
Reuters,
NBC news,
10 June 2026
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Yes, assassinating their leaders might have played into that.—
Isaac Chotiner,
New Yorker,
25 May 2026
Verb
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And many marketing teams are still executing against a map of a territory that has already morphed.—
Malana VanTyler,
USA Today,
4 June 2026
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What appears to be a Unitree G1 humanoid robot wearing a blue clown wig can be seen confidently executing a roundhouse kick — squarely in the stomach of a young child in the audience, causing the kid to double over in pain.—
Victor Tangermann,
Futurism,
4 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Slaying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/slaying. Accessed 11 Jun. 2026.
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