1
: the act of killing
specifically
: the butchering of livestock for market
2
: killing of great numbers of human beings (as in battle or a massacre) : carnage
slaughtered; slaughtering; slaughters
1
: to kill (animals) for food : butcher
3
: to discredit, defeat, or demolish completely
Synonyms
Examples of slaughter in a Sentence
Noun
the slaughter of innocent people
all civilized nations should protest this senseless slaughter
Verb
Our team got slaughtered yesterday.
modern poultry farms slaughter a vast number of chickens every day
Recent Examples on the Web
Keith Phipps, Vulture, 1 Nov. 2024
Their anger at the Democrats is understandable, especially the anger of those who have lost many relatives in the slaughter.
—Caise D. Hassan, Chicago Tribune, 31 Oct. 2024
Dani Di Placido, Forbes, 31 Oct. 2024
In April of 1983, Hezbollah assaulted the U.S. Embassy in Beirut with a suicide truck bomb that slaughtered 63 people, including 17 Americans.
—Nina Turner, Newsweek, 30 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for slaughter 
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Noun
Eastwood plays the title character, a man reluctantly drawn into the Confederate side of the Civil War after the slaughter of his family.
—Keith Phipps, Vulture, 1 Nov. 2024
Their anger at the Democrats is understandable, especially the anger of those who have lost many relatives in the slaughter.
—Caise D. Hassan, Chicago Tribune, 31 Oct. 2024
Verb
This is left somewhat ambiguous, but it is implied that Agatha is buying time for Nick by slaughtering covens of witches as an offering to Death.
—Dani Di Placido, Forbes, 31 Oct. 2024
In April of 1983, Hezbollah assaulted the U.S. Embassy in Beirut with a suicide truck bomb that slaughtered 63 people, including 17 Americans.
—Nina Turner, Newsweek, 30 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for slaughter
Dictionary Entries Near slaughter
Cite this Entry
“Slaughter.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/slaughter. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
slaughter
1 of 2 noun
slaugh·ter
ˈslȯt-ər 
1
: the act of killing
especially
: the butchering of livestock for market
2
: destruction of human lives in large numbers (as in war or a massacre)
slaughter
2 of 2 verbLove words? Need even more definitions?
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