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
Peter SteinHe is accused of ordering the 1989 slayings and robberies of three drug dealers …—Joseph P. Fried
Joseph P. FriedExamples of slaying in a Sentence
a man wanted for the slaying of seven people during an armed robbery
Recent Examples on the Web
Dawodu’s slaying was the first shooting this year in the city’s subway system.
—Rocco Parascandola, New York Daily News, 13 Feb. 2026
What led to Cruz’s slaying years later is not immediately clear.
—Meredith Colias-Pete, Chicago Tribune, 10 Feb. 2026
The slaying dramatized the perils faced by journalists in Mexico, where scores have been slain in recent years.
—Foreign Correspondent, Los Angeles Times, 7 Feb. 2026
The slaying of conservative activist Charlie Kirk last fall spurred numerous lawsuits that could reshape the legal boundaries governing public employee speech.
—Marissa Payne, Des Moines Register, 4 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for slaying
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.
Rocco Parascandola, New York Daily News, 13 Feb. 2026
What led to Cruz’s slaying years later is not immediately clear.
—Meredith Colias-Pete, Chicago Tribune, 10 Feb. 2026
The slaying dramatized the perils faced by journalists in Mexico, where scores have been slain in recent years.
—Foreign Correspondent, Los Angeles Times, 7 Feb. 2026
The slaying of conservative activist Charlie Kirk last fall spurred numerous lawsuits that could reshape the legal boundaries governing public employee speech.
—Marissa Payne, Des Moines Register, 4 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for slaying
Cite this Entry
“Slaying.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/slaying. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
