kill 1 of 2

verb

ˈkil How to pronounce kill (audio)
Definition of killnext
1
as in to destroy
to deprive of life during the war more soldiers were killed by disease than anything else

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to dismiss
to reject by or as if by a vote the Senate killed the bill by a single vote

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to delete
to show (something written) to be no longer valid by drawing a cross over or a line through it I think that paragraph is irrelevant, so kill it

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4
as in to wear
to use up all the physical energy of the long hike up the mountain just about killed us

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in to fascinate
to attract or delight as if by magic with his dark good looks he would positively kill the ladies

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in to deactivate
to cause to stop functioning kill the engine before it overheats

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

kill

2 of 2

noun

1
as in victim

Related Words

Dissimilar Words
2
as in race

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Synonym Chooser

How is the word kill distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of kill are assassinate, dispatch, execute, murder, and slay. While all these words mean "to deprive of life," kill merely states the fact of death caused by an agency in any manner.

killed in an accident
frost killed the plants

In what contexts can assassinate take the place of kill?

While in some cases nearly identical to kill, assassinate applies to deliberate killing openly or secretly often for political motives.

terrorists assassinated the Senator

When would dispatch be a good substitute for kill?

While the synonyms dispatch and kill are close in meaning, dispatch stresses quickness and directness in putting to death.

dispatched the sentry with one bullet

When is it sensible to use execute instead of kill?

The meanings of execute and kill largely overlap; however, execute stresses putting to death as a legal penalty.

executed by lethal gas

Where would murder be a reasonable alternative to kill?

The synonyms murder and kill are sometimes interchangeable, but murder specifically implies stealth and motive and premeditation and therefore full moral responsibility.

convicted of murdering a rival

When might slay be a better fit than kill?

In some situations, the words slay and kill are roughly equivalent. However, slay is a chiefly literary term implying deliberateness and violence but not necessarily motive.

slew thousands of the Philistines

How is the word kill distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of kill are assassinate, dispatch, execute, murder, and slay. While all these words mean "to deprive of life," kill merely states the fact of death caused by an agency in any manner.

killed in an accident
frost killed the plants

In what contexts can assassinate take the place of kill?

While in some cases nearly identical to kill, assassinate applies to deliberate killing openly or secretly often for political motives.

terrorists assassinated the Senator

When would dispatch be a good substitute for kill?

While the synonyms dispatch and kill are close in meaning, dispatch stresses quickness and directness in putting to death.

dispatched the sentry with one bullet

When is it sensible to use execute instead of kill?

The meanings of execute and kill largely overlap; however, execute stresses putting to death as a legal penalty.

executed by lethal gas

Where would murder be a reasonable alternative to kill?

The synonyms murder and kill are sometimes interchangeable, but murder specifically implies stealth and motive and premeditation and therefore full moral responsibility.

convicted of murdering a rival

When might slay be a better fit than kill?

In some situations, the words slay and kill are roughly equivalent. However, slay is a chiefly literary term implying deliberateness and violence but not necessarily motive.

slew thousands of the Philistines

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 kill
Verb
Metayer Bowen, 38, was shot and killed in her home Wednesday. —Angie Dimichele, Sun Sentinel, 4 Apr. 2026 That same month, in the city of Qom, Iranian authorities hanged three men who were accused of killing police officers during the nationwide protests. —Cora Engelbrecht, New Yorker, 3 Apr. 2026
Noun
WireGuard protocol helps optimize speed and efficiency, while AES-256 encryption, a kill switch, and a no-logs policy address privacy concerns. —Stackcommerce Team, PC Magazine, 30 Mar. 2026 Perhaps the first clue that guests are entering a ski factory is the ceiling, which is decorated with planks of aspen and beetle-kill pine wood, as well as Meier skis and snowboards. —Tiney Ricciardi, Denver Post, 27 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for kill
Recent Examples of Synonyms for kill
  1. destroy
  2. dismiss
  3. delete
  4. wear
  5. fascinate
  6. deactivate
  7. victim
  8. race
Verb
  • Later, a fire at Hall’s grandmother’s house would destroy most of his magic act.
    — Vinson Cunningham, New Yorker, 29 Mar. 2026
  • This time around, in that first wave of strikes on February 28, American cruise missiles targeted and destroyed a building that ended up being a girls’ school—killing more than 168 young children who had just started their day of classes.
    — Connor Okeeffe, Oc Register, 29 Mar. 2026
Definition of destroy
Verb
  • Authorities had since dismissed her lawyers’ requests to send her to a hospital for urgent treatment.
    — Cora Engelbrecht, New Yorker, 3 Apr. 2026
  • There is a long history of women's pain being dismissed by doctors, incorrectly categorized as period pain or rooted in psychological distress.
    — Madeline Mitchell, USA Today, 2 Apr. 2026
Definition of dismiss
Verb
  • Earlier this week, former child actors and the children of family influencers spoke out in favour of a bill that would allow people to request that content which featured them as minors be deleted.
    — Will McCurdy, PC Magazine, 29 Mar. 2026
  • The post, which Kinlaw appears to have shared on his personal Facebook page and later deleted, contained a graphic with anti-Islamic rhetoric.
    — Rebecca Noel, Charlotte Observer, 28 Mar. 2026
Definition of delete
Verb
  • Cops are searching for multiple suspects wearing ski masks last seen fleeing the scene on foot.
    — Colin Mixson, New York Daily News, 31 Mar. 2026
  • He was last seen wearing a denim shirt and jeans.
    — Jeff Nguyen, CBS News, 31 Mar. 2026
Definition of wear
Verb
  • The cause of brain freeze fascinates neurologists and Slurpee lovers alike, and the science behind it is especially captivating.
    — Julia Daye, Popular Science, 2 Apr. 2026
  • Despite being so vocal, Cudi still retains a mystique quality that fascinates fans.
    — Kailyn Brown, Los Angeles Times, 1 Apr. 2026
Definition of fascinate
Verb
  • While 5 million Australian accounts had been deactivated, a substantial number of Australian children continued to retain accounts, create new accounts and pass platforms’ age assurance systems, the report said.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 31 Mar. 2026
  • The lawsuit alleges that later that day, McCormick deactivated her account.
    — Jacqueline Munis, Fortune, 30 Mar. 2026
Definition of deactivate
Noun
  • Some of the victims had been wearing backpacks equipped with airbags that can help keep people on the surface of an avalanche, but had not pulled the cords to deploy the bags, the report said.
    — Ethan Baron, Mercury News, 4 Apr. 2026
  • Responding officers discovered that the victim suffered from wounds to his head and body and also found a bloody hammer.
    — DeJanay Booth-Singleton, CBS News, 4 Apr. 2026
Definition of victim
Noun
  • Last year, New York's Zohran Mamdani won his mayoral race after appearing on Piker's stream.
    — Jesus Mesa, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Mar. 2026
  • For kids there will be the Avo 500 race, Fun Zone and Best Dressed Avocado Contest.
    — Linda Mcintosh, San Diego Union-Tribune, 31 Mar. 2026
Definition of race

Phrases Containing kill

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kill
killed
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Cite this Entry

“Kill.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/kill. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on kill

Nglish: Translation of kill for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about kill

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