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
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
Eli Wizevich, Smithsonian Magazine, 27 Feb. 2025
More victims sent to slaughter In 2024, pig butchering revenue grew nearly 40% year over year, with the number of deposits to pig butchering scams growing nearly 210% over the same period, according to Chainalysis.
—Dylan Butts, CNBC, 13 Feb. 2025
Haley Strack, National Review, 13 Mar. 2025
But this year, eggs are in short supply because of the spread of avian flu, which has required producers to slaughter 150 million birds in the last two years, including 30 million since the start of 2025.
—Rachel Ringler, Sun Sentinel, 10 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for slaughter
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Noun
The women in the fresco are both hunters and dancers, suggesting that the duality of slaughter and revelry was a central tenet.
—Eli Wizevich, Smithsonian Magazine, 27 Feb. 2025
More victims sent to slaughter In 2024, pig butchering revenue grew nearly 40% year over year, with the number of deposits to pig butchering scams growing nearly 210% over the same period, according to Chainalysis.
—Dylan Butts, CNBC, 13 Feb. 2025
Verb
An anti-Israel fervor has swept through Hollywood since Hamas invaded Israel 17 months ago, slaughtering more than 1,200 men, women, and children and taking 251 as hostages.
—Haley Strack, National Review, 13 Mar. 2025
But this year, eggs are in short supply because of the spread of avian flu, which has required producers to slaughter 150 million birds in the last two years, including 30 million since the start of 2025.
—Rachel Ringler, Sun Sentinel, 10 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for slaughter
Cite this Entry
“Slaughter.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/slaughter. Accessed 20 Mar. 2025.
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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