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Synonyms

slew

1 American  
[sloo] / slu /

verb

  1. simple past tense of slay.

slew 2 American  
[sloo] / slu /
Or slue

noun

Informal.

  1. a large number or quantity.

    a whole slew of people.
slew 1 British  
/ sluː /

verb

  1. to twist or be twisted sideways, esp awkwardly

    he slewed around in his chair

  2. nautical to cause (a mast) to rotate in its step or (of a mast) to rotate in its step

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

noun

  1. the act of slewing

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
slew 2 British  
/ sluː /

verb

  1. the past tense of slay

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
slew 3 British  
/ sluː /

noun

  1. a variant spelling (esp US) of slough 1

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
slew 4 British  
/ sluː /

noun

  1. informal a great number or amount; a lot

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of slew

1830–40, < Irish sluagh crowd, throng, army, host

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.

A raid to seize the enriched uranium, in what Kavanagh speculates is an attempt to “embarrass” Iran into submission, the operation would face a slew of problems.

From Salon • Apr. 3, 2026

The move comes as a slew of companies prepare for major initial public offerings that could take place as soon as this year.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 30, 2026

The martial arts expert turned actor has starred in a slew of action films since his acting debut with a cameo in a 1968 Dean Martin film "The Wrecking Crew."

From Barron's • Mar. 20, 2026

At least that’s what one improbable image fantasized in a recent slew of AI-generated “wedding photos” circulating online.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 17, 2026

Immediately, a dad jumps in with a slew of rapid-fire questions about his son’s dietary restrictions.

From "Leah on the Offbeat" by Becky Albertalli

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.