behead

verb

be·​head bi-ˈhed How to pronounce behead (audio)
bē-
beheaded; beheading; beheads
Synonyms of beheadnext

transitive verb

: to cut off the head of : decapitate

Examples of behead in a Sentence

Louis XVI was beheaded in 1793. Mary, Queen of Scots, was beheaded for plotting against Queen Elizabeth.
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.
When the decision on trans athletes was made the other day by the Supreme Court were the Justices swarmed by an angry mob and beheaded on the spot? Joe Kinsey Outkick, FOXNews.com, 4 July 2026 That marble sculpture of George III, vandalized in 1775, was now beheaded altogether, to the cheers of soldiers. Sarah M.s. Pearsall, The Conversation, 2 July 2026 In one montage played for laughs, an emperor is squashed by a panda and a king is beheaded, although there is no blood or guts to speak of. Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 1 July 2026 Eight pages later, Leucippe has to fake her own beheading to escape from pirates. Literary Hub, 30 June 2026 D'Arcy and Matt Smith address the aftermath of Jace's death and that beheading. Nick Romano, Entertainment Weekly, 29 June 2026 Rhaenyra cannot behead the Usurper, but this man — her father’s hand, who manipulated them all in the name of naked ambition — makes a fitting surrogate. Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 29 June 2026 Through tears, Rheanyra beheaded Otto, brutally, as her first cut wasn't clean. Julia Moore, PEOPLE, 29 June 2026 Kainerugaba, who has been touted as a possible successor to his aging father, President Yoweri Museveni, is well known for his controversial social media posts including threats to behead the leading opposition leader Bobi Wine. CNN Money, 28 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of behead was before the 12th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Behead.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/behead. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.

Kids Definition

behead

verb
be·​head bi-ˈhed How to pronounce behead (audio)
: to cut off the head of

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