1
transitive
: to kill violently, wantonly, or in great numbers
slay the enemy
This was the appearance of a dreadful epidemic which in that age, and long before and afterward, was wont to slay its hundreds and thousands on both sides of the Atlantic.—
Nathaniel Hawthorne
Nathaniel Hawthorne
broadly
: to strike down : kill
slay a dragon
"It's a lot easier to slay a vampire with a stake in the heart than it is to slay some of our demons that are in our heads." —Rachel T. Hill
Rachel T. Hill 2
transitive
informal
: to delight or amuse immensely
slayed the audience
… [Seth Rogen] is currently slaying critics with Superbad, which he co-wrote with Evan Goldberg.—Tanner Stransky
Tanner Stransky3
transitive + intransitive
informal
: to do something or perform exceptionally well or impressively : to be exceptionally impressive
From the Let Girls Learn initiative to her Vogue covers, [Yara Shahidi] slays it all.—Rebecca Sun
Rebecca SunBeyoncé did not come to this year's Grammy Awards just to slay, she came to make a statement.—Jackie Fields
Jackie FieldsFrom the red carpet to her sure-to-be epic performance, one thing is for certain—she's gonna slay.—Quinn Keaney
Quinn Keaney
slayer
noun
Synonyms
Examples of slay in a Sentence
The knight slew the dragon.
millions have been slain worldwide by this dreadful disease
Recent Examples on the Web
Listen to this article Merrillville man acquitted in Gary drug deal slaying
Michael Baker was acquitted Friday in the Jan. 21, 2023 murder of Demetri Russell, 29.
—Meredith Colias-Pete, Chicago Tribune, 22 Oct. 2024
The sleepy spot actually holds a chilling history dating back to 1912, when two adults, Josiah and Sarah Moore, and six children were brutally slain in what is now known as the Villisca Ax Murder House.
—Natalia Senanayake, People.com, 18 Oct. 2024
This odd twist turns Leatherface into a kind of anti-hero, slaying the awful people who have a problem with his family … cannibalizing people?
—Daniel Dockery, Vulture, 11 Oct. 2024
Homicides last year were down from 2022, when 226 people were slain, and 2021, when a record 271 were killed.
—John Tuohy, The Indianapolis Star, 2 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for slay 
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Meredith Colias-Pete, Chicago Tribune, 22 Oct. 2024
The sleepy spot actually holds a chilling history dating back to 1912, when two adults, Josiah and Sarah Moore, and six children were brutally slain in what is now known as the Villisca Ax Murder House.
—Natalia Senanayake, People.com, 18 Oct. 2024
This odd twist turns Leatherface into a kind of anti-hero, slaying the awful people who have a problem with his family … cannibalizing people?
—Daniel Dockery, Vulture, 11 Oct. 2024
Homicides last year were down from 2022, when 226 people were slain, and 2021, when a record 271 were killed.
—John Tuohy, The Indianapolis Star, 2 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for slay
Dictionary Entries Near slay
Cite this Entry
“Slay.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/slay. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
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