mas·sa·cre
ˈma-si-kər 
1
: the act or an instance of killing a number of usually helpless or unresisting human beings under circumstances of atrocity or cruelty
witnessed the massacre of a boatload of refugees
2
: a cruel or wanton (see wanton entry 1 sense 1a) murder
3
: a wholesale slaughter of animals
Residents engaged in a citywide cat massacre.
4
: an act of complete destruction
the author's massacre of traditional federalist presuppositions—
R. G. McCloskey
R. G. McCloskeythe Puritan massacre of statues and pictures—Robert Hughes
Robert Hughes
massacred; massacring
ˈma-si-k(ə-)riŋ
1
: to kill by massacre
2
: mangle sense 2
words were misspelled and syntax massacred—Bice Clemow
Bice ClemowSynonyms
Examples of massacre in a Sentence
Noun
The game turned out to be a complete massacre.
the infamous massacre of more than 200 Sioux at Wounded Knee, South Dakota
Verb
Hundreds have been massacred in the uprising.
The other team really massacred us on Saturday.
He really massacred that song.
Recent Examples on the WebEmily Shapiro, ABC News, 13 June 2024
The lawsuit, filed under Oklahoma’s public nuisance law, argued that the massacre’s aftermath still affects the city today, perpetuating racial and economic disparities.
—Melissa Noel, Essence, 13 June 2024
Anders Hagstrom, Fox News, 13 June 2024
Unlike Martinique, Algeria had recently been scarred by violence, most notably in 1945, when, after a clash with nationalists, the French massacred thousands of Algerians.
—The New Yorker, 12 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for massacre 
Noun
Seventeen students and staff members were killed in the Feb. 14, 2018, massacre.
—Emily Shapiro, ABC News, 13 June 2024
The lawsuit, filed under Oklahoma’s public nuisance law, argued that the massacre’s aftermath still affects the city today, perpetuating racial and economic disparities.
—Melissa Noel, Essence, 13 June 2024
Verb
Hamas massacred nearly 1,200 people, including more than 30 Americans.
—Anders Hagstrom, Fox News, 13 June 2024
Unlike Martinique, Algeria had recently been scarred by violence, most notably in 1945, when, after a clash with nationalists, the French massacred thousands of Algerians.
—The New Yorker, 12 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for massacre
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'massacre.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Massacre.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/massacre. Accessed 30 Jun. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
massacre
1 of 2 verb
mas·sa·cre
ˈmas-i-kər
massacred; massacring
-k(ə-)riŋ
: to kill in a massacre : slaughter
massacrer
noun
-i-kər-ər
-i-krər
massacre
2 of 2 noun
: the violent and cruel killing of a number of persons
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