roadkill

British  

/ ˈrəʊdˌkɪl /

noun

1. the remains of an animal or animals killed on the road by motor vehicles

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Explanation

Roadkill means the dead body of an animal that's been hit by a car. Some people are so sensitive they can't stand to look at roadkill. Animals that die on a highway, usually because they've been struck by a vehicle, are roadkill. You can also spell it as two words, road kill. The word is fairly modern, from the early 1970's, in part because before cars were invented — and before there were so many of them on the roads — there weren't so many animals affected by the transportation of humans. Use the term figuratively when someone feels unwanted: "I felt like roadkill when you didn't invite me."

Example Sentences

Once left for dead as AI roadkill, Google Search ad revenue rose by 19% from the year before in the first quarter, its best mark since 2022.

From Barron's • Jun. 2, 2026

Just as roadkill summons vultures, so too does human misery summon journalists, who travel across the country to shove cameras and recorders at people enduring things no one should experience.

From Slate • Feb. 11, 2026

This is a man who, even aside from the worm in his brain and his propensity for collecting roadkill, is one of the biggest conspiracy theorists in the country.

From Salon • Oct. 30, 2024

Someone — forgive the reference to other strange RFK Jr. stories — is bound to end up as roadkill.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 25, 2024

“I’m sorry about your chickens, but they must be dog food or roadkill by now. How could they have made it this far?”

From "Unusual Chickens for the Exceptional Poultry Farmer" by Kelly Jones