slay

verb

ˈslā How to pronounce slay (audio)
Definition of slaynext
1
as in to kill
to deprive of life millions have been slain worldwide by this dreadful disease

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to assassinate
to put to death deliberately vowed to slay without mercy whoever was responsible for murdering his family

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 Authorities in Utah have charged two teenagers with murder days after the mother of one of the suspects was found slain inside a rental home last week. —Samira Asma-Sadeque, People.com, 7 Apr. 2025 Israeli strikes frequently targeted Beirut's southern suburbs, where longtime Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah was slain in September. —Ron Estes, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Mar. 2025 Now, residents of Gaza and the West Bank are at the mercy of Israeli military operations in which fighters and civilians are being slain at staggering rates. —Newsweek Staff, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Apr. 2025 Blumhouse’s slaying doll returns to domestic cinemas on June 27. —Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 2 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for slay
Recent Examples of Synonyms for slay
  1. kill
  2. assassinate
  3. destroy
  4. murder
  5. execute
Verb
  • Renee Moore worked near the building and relied on its daycare for her 6-month-old son Antonio Cooper Jr., who was among those killed.
    — Erin Jensen, USA Today, 19 Apr. 2025
  • One month later, their father, who was working as a captain for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, was killed.
    — Marc Berman, Forbes.com, 18 Apr. 2025
Definition of kill
Verb
  • Routh has since pleaded not guilty to one count of attempting to assassinate a major presidential candidate and four firearm offenses.
    — Jenny Goldsberry, The Washington Examiner, 20 Apr. 2025
  • The health secretary — who was 14 years old when his father was assassinated — has shown an interest in the case for years, doubting the conclusion that Sirhan was responsible for his father's killing.
    — Joe Walsh, CBS News, 18 Apr. 2025
Definition of assassinate
Verb
  • More than half a dozen tornadoes have been confirmed, including one in Marshall County, Oklahoma, that left two homes completely destroyed and damaged about 20 others.
    — Christopher Cann, USA Today, 22 Apr. 2025
  • In Hood County, the Granbury Volunteer Fire Department reported that a home southwest of Tolar was destroyed by a tornado and several others were damaged about 9 p.m. Possible tornadoes also were reported in Jack County and Erath County, according to the National Weather Service.
    — Shambhavi Rimal, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 20 Apr. 2025
Definition of destroy
Verb
  • While Abby is determined to carry out their plan to murder Joel, all of her friends want to turn back.
    — Eliana Dockterman, Time, 21 Apr. 2025
  • The man who murdered Rachel Morin was convicted by a jury that deliberated for 46 minutes.
    — Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 20 Apr. 2025
Definition of murder
Verb
  • The torturous clobbering comes after Joel saves Abby from infected hordes and is coldly executed in front of his surrogate daughter, Ellie (Bella Ramsey).
    — Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 22 Apr. 2025
  • Overall, Scotto is optimistic about WMB executing on its backlog of growth projects and bolstering its balance sheet.
    — TipRanks.com Staff, CNBC, 20 Apr. 2025
Definition of execute

Browse Nearby Words

slavishness
slay
slayer
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Cite this Entry

“Slay.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/slay. Accessed 25 Apr. 2025.

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