slaying

noun

slay·​ing ˈslā-iŋ How to pronounce slaying (audio)
plural slayings
: the act of killing a person : killing, murder
used chiefly in journalistic writing
a gangland slaying
Sunday's slayings bring to 14 the number of killings this year in what police call gang-related attacks.Peter Stein
He is accused of ordering the 1989 slayings and robberies of three drug dealers …Joseph P. Fried

Examples of slaying in a Sentence

a man wanted for the slaying of seven people during an armed robbery
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
The brothers are both serving life sentences without the possibility of parole for the 1989 shotgun slayings of Jose and Kitty Menendez at the family’s mansion in Beverly Hills. David Matthews, New York Daily News, 20 Mar. 2025 During the trial, Varner alleged Brown stabbed a man to death in an unrelated 2022 East Chicago drug house slaying. Meredith Colias-Pete, Chicago Tribune, 18 Mar. 2025 There seemed to be no motive for the brutal slaying. Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 17 Mar. 2025 The total number of homicides fell by 47 in areas patrolled by the L.A. Police Department, with the San Fernando Valley seeing the largest percentage decrease of the department’s four geographical bureaus, with a 28% decline in slayings last year from 2023. Libor Jany, Los Angeles Times, 17 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for slaying

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of slaying was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Slaying.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/slaying. Accessed 28 Mar. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on slaying

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!