slaughter
1 Americannoun
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the killing or butchering of cattle, sheep, etc., especially for food.
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the brutal or violent killing of a person.
- Synonyms:
- murder
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the killing of great numbers of people or animals indiscriminately; carnage.
the slaughter of war.
verb (used with object)
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to kill or butcher (animals), especially for food.
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to kill in a brutal or violent manner.
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to slay in great numbers; massacre.
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Informal. to defeat thoroughly; trounce.
They slaughtered our team.
noun
noun
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the killing of animals, esp for food
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the savage killing of a person
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the indiscriminate or brutal killing of large numbers of people, as in war; massacre
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informal a resounding defeat
verb
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to kill (animals), esp for food
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to kill in a brutal manner
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to kill indiscriminately or in large numbers
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informal to defeat resoundingly
Related Words
Slaughter, butcher, massacre all imply violent and bloody methods of killing. Slaughter and butcher, primarily referring to the killing of animals for food, are used also of the brutal or indiscriminate killing of human beings: to slaughter cattle; to butcher a hog. Massacre indicates a general slaughtering of helpless or unresisting victims: to massacre the peasants of a region.
Other Word Forms
- slaughterer noun
- slaughteringly adverb
- slaughterous adjective
- unslaughtered adjective
Etymology
Origin of slaughter
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English slaghter, slahter, slauther (noun), from Old Norse slātr, earlier slāttr, slahtr
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
JBS began canceling cattle shipments and halting slaughter at the plant last week in preparation for a potential work stoppage.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 16, 2026
Even if they implemented that strategy, it would reduce beef supply in the short term, because fewer animals would be sent to slaughter.
From Barron's • Mar. 5, 2026
I know a lot of headlines all week were we were lambs to the slaughter but we were quietly confident if we brought our best version we could challenge them.
From BBC • Feb. 12, 2026
The biggest mistake one could make in analyzing this corporate slaughter is to lay the blame solely on the state of journalism.
From Slate • Feb. 5, 2026
When it gets too old, perhaps 20 or so years old, you can slaughter it in a special ritual in your boma, the corral that surrounds the cows at night.
From "Facing the Lion" by Joseph Lemasolai Lekuton and Herman Viola
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
