massacre

[mas-uh-ker]

noun

1. the unnecessary, indiscriminate killing of a large number of human beings or animals, as in barbarous warfare or persecution or for revenge or plunder.

   Synonyms: genocide, butchery, extermination, carnage

2. a general slaughter, as of persons or animals.

   the massacre of millions during the war.

   Synonyms: genocide, butchery, extermination, carnage

3. Informal.,  a crushing defeat, especially in sports.

verb (used with object)

massacred, massacring 

1. to kill unnecessarily and indiscriminately, especially a large number of persons.

   Synonyms: slay

2. Informal.,  to defeat decisively, especially in sports.

massacre

/ ˈmæsəkə, ˈmæsəkrə /

noun

1. the wanton or savage killing of large numbers of people, as in battle

2. informal,  an overwhelming defeat, as in a game

verb

1. to kill indiscriminately or in large numbers

2. informal,  to defeat overwhelmingly

Other Word Forms

• massacrer noun
• unmassacred adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of massacre¹

First recorded in 1575–85; (noun), from Middle French massacre, noun derivative of massacrer, Old French maçacrer, macecler, probably from unattested Vulgar Latin matteūcculāre, verbal derivative of unattested matteūca “mallet” ( mashie, mace ¹ ); (verb) from Middle French massacrer

Word History and Origins

Origin of massacre¹

C16: from Old French, of unknown origin

Synonym Study

See slaughter.

Example Sentences

The party sidelined Zhao for opposing martial law and later sent troops to crush the demonstrations—in what became known as the June 4 massacre—before purging him later that month.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

According to French colonial authorities at the time, at least 35 infantrymen were killed during the massacre at the Thiaroye camp, near Dakar.

Read more on Barron's

Hostility towards Central Asians -- long a problem in Russia -- has significantly intensified since the 2024 massacre at a concert hall outside Moscow in which 149 people were killed.

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Ulysses S. Grant invoked it more than half a dozen times to thwart statehouse coups, stem race massacres and smother the Ku Klux Klan in its South Carolina cradle.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

The tensions escalated earlier this year after back-to-back massacres in Plateau state that saw more than 100 people killed, with state authorities claiming the killings were part of a "genocide" that was "sponsored by terrorists".

Read more on Barron's

Related Words

• assassination 
• bloodbath 
• bloodshed 
• carnage 
• extermination www.thesaurus.com
• genocide 
• murder 
• slaughter 
• slaying www.thesaurus.com

When To Use

What does massacre mean?

A massacre is a large-scale killing of people or animals, especially defenseless ones.The word implies that such a killing was especially unnecessary, brutal, and indiscriminate. An event in which soldiers kill many civilians could be called a massacre. Mass shootings are massacres.Massacre can also be used in a more general way to refer to killing on a large-scale, as in This war will result in the massacre of millions. Massacre can also be used as a verb in both of these senses, as in The flock was massacred by the pack of wolves. Massacre is also used figuratively as a noun and a verb in the context of a decisive defeat, especially a one-sided sporting event, as in It was a massacre—we lost 12-0. Example: Every day, the news tells us of yet another massacre of innocent people by a person with a gun.