kill off

verb

killed off; killing off; kills off

transitive verb

: to destroy in large numbers or totally

Examples of kill off in a Sentence

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.
Instead, Andre would be killed off, and the season would explore grief through his absence. Olivia Singh, Forbes.com, 17 Sep. 2025 That could be sufficient to kill off Earth’s major subduction zones, since without water, there might be no subduction (plus, there would be less water for carbon dioxide to dissolve into in the first place). Quanta Magazine, 15 Sep. 2025 Idaho spent $3 million the past two years on copper poisoning to treat the Snake River, just enough of a concentration to kill off the invasive species and still under the limit for drinking water. Idaho Statesman, 12 Sep. 2025 The press, however—fearing backlash to its positive depiction of interracial romance—rewrote the conclusion without Grey’s knowledge or consent, killing off Nophaie and the offending prospect of miscegenation. Literary Hub, 11 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for kill off

Word History

First Known Use

1607, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of kill off was in 1607

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Cite this Entry

“Kill off.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/kill%20off. Accessed 20 Sep. 2025.

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