Word forms: 3rd person singular presenttense slaughters, present participle slaughtering, past tense, past participle slaughtered
1. verb [usually passive]
If large numbers of people or animals are slaughtered, they are killed in a way that is cruel or unnecessary.
Thirty four people were slaughtered while queuing up to cast their votes. [beVERB-ed]
Whales and dolphins are still being slaughtered for commercial gain. [beVERB-ed]
Synonyms: butcher, kill, slay [archaic, literary], destroy More Synonyms of slaughter
Slaughter is also a noun.
...a war where the slaughter of civilians was commonplace. [+ of]
The annual slaughter of wildlife in Italy is horrific.
2. verb
To slaughter animals such as cows and sheep means to kill them for their meat.
Lack of chicken feed means that chicken farms are having to slaughter their stock. [VERB noun]
Slaughter is also a noun.
More than 491,000 sheep were exported for slaughter last year.
kill
3. like lambs to the slaughter
More Synonyms of slaughter
slaughter in British English
(ˈslɔːtə)
noun
1.
the killing of animals, esp for food
2.
the savage killing of a person
3.
the indiscriminate or brutal killing of large numbers of people, as in war; massacre
4. informal
a resounding defeat
verb(transitive)
5.
to kill (animals), esp for food
6.
to kill in a brutal manner
7.
to kill indiscriminately or in large numbers
8. informal
to defeat resoundingly
Derived forms
slaughterer (ˈslaughterer)
noun
slaughterous (ˈslaughterous)
adjective
Word origin
Old English sleaht; related to Old Norse slāttar hammering, slātr butchered meat, Old High German slahta, Gothic slauhts, German Schlacht battle
slaughter in American English
(ˈslɔtər)
noun
1.
the killing of an animal or animals for food; butchering
2.
the killing of a human being, esp. in a brutal manner
3.
the killing of people in large numbers, as in battle
4. Informal
a complete defeat or victory
verb transitive
5.
to kill (an animal or animals) for food; butcher
6.
to kill (people), esp. brutally or in large numbers
7. Informal
to conquer or defeat completely
SYNONYMY NOTE: slaughter, as applied to people, suggests extensive and brutal killing, as in battle or bydeliberate acts of wanton cruelty; , massacre implies the indiscriminate and wholesale slaughter of those who are defenseless orhelpless to resist; , butchery adds implications of extreme cruelty and of such coldblooded heartlessness as onemight display in the slaughtering of animals; , carnage stresses the result of bloody slaughter and suggests the accumulation of the bodiesof the slain; , pogrom refers to an organized, often officially inspired, massacre of a minority group,specifically of the Jews in czarist Russia
Derived forms
slaughterer (ˈslaughterer)
noun
Word origin
ME slahter < ON slātr, lit., slain flesh, contr. < slattr, akin to OE sleaht, slaughter, death: for IE base see slay
More idioms containing
slaughter
like lambs to the slaughter
In other languages
slaughter
British English: slaughter VERB
If large numbers of people or animals are slaughtered, they are killed in a way that is cruel or unnecessary.
Thirty four people were slaughtered while lining up to cast their votes.
American English: slaughter
Brazilian Portuguese: abater
Chinese: 屠杀
European Spanish: masacrar
French: massacrer
German: abschlachten
Italian: massacrare
Japanese: 虐殺する
Korean: 도살당하다
European Portuguese: abater
Latin American Spanish: masacrar
Chinese translation of 'slaughter'
slaughter
(ˈslɔːtəʳ)
n(u)
[of people]屠杀(殺) (túshā)
[of wildlife]杀(殺)戮 (shālù)
[of cows, sheep, pigs etc]屠宰 (túzǎi)
vt
[people]屠杀(殺) (túshā)
[wildlife]杀(殺)戮 (shālù)
[cows, sheep, pigs etc]屠宰 (túzǎi)
see usage note
kill
1 (verb)
Definition
to kill brutally
They were slaughtered by invaders.
Synonyms
kill (informal)
Public opinion may yet kill the proposal.
murder
a thriller about two men who murder a third
massacre
destroy
The building was completely destroyed.
do in (slang)
execute
Roman soldiers could be executed for treason.
dispatch
They may catch him and dispatch him immediately.
assassinate
a plot to assassinate the President
blow away (slang, mainly US)
annihilate
bump off (slang)
2 (verb)
Definition
to kill indiscriminately or in large numbers
Whales and dolphins are still being slaughtered for commercial gain.
Synonyms
butcher
Our people are being butchered in their own homes.
kill
More than 200 people were killed in the disaster.
slay (archaic, literary)
the hill where he slew the dragon
destroy
The horse had to be destroyed.
massacre
Troops indiscriminately massacred the defenceless population.
exterminate
A huge effort was made to exterminate the rats.
3 (verb)
Definition
(in sport) to defeat easily
He slaughtered his opponent in three sets.
Synonyms
defeat
His troops defeated the opposing army.
thrash
They thrashed their opponents 5-0.
vanquish (literary)
a happy ending in which the hero vanquishes the monsters
stuff (slang)
tank (slang)
hammer (informal)
He hammered the young left-hander in four straight sets.
crush
The military operation was the first step in a plan to crush the uprising.
overwhelm
One massive assault would overwhelm the weakened enemy.
lick (informal)
He might be able to lick us all in a fair fight.
undo
Our hopes of a victory were undone by an error from the goalkeeper.
rout
The Norman army routed the English opposition.
trounce
Australia trounced France by sixty points to four.
wipe the floor with (informal)
blow out of the water (slang)
1 (noun)
Definition
the savage killing of a person
The annual slaughter of wildlife is horrific.
Synonyms
slaying
a trail of motiveless slayings
killing
murder
The three accused are charged with attempted murder.
massacre
She lost her mother in the massacre.
holocaust
a fund for survivors of the holocaust and their families
bloodshed
an end to bloodshed and to the economic chaos
carnage
Their peaceful protest ended in carnage.
liquidation
extermination
the extermination of thousands of innocent people
butchery
blood bath
2 (noun)
Definition
the killing of animals for food
sheep exported for slaughter
Synonyms
butchery
War is simply a legalised form of butchery.
killing
This is a brutal killing.
Additional synonyms
in the sense of assassinate
Definition
to murder (a prominent person)
a plot to assassinate the President
Synonyms
murder,
kill,
eliminate (slang),
take out (slang),
terminate,
hit (slang),
slay,
blow away (slang, US),
liquidate
in the sense of bloodshed
Definition
slaughter
an end to bloodshed and to the economic chaos
Synonyms
killing,
murder,
massacre,
slaughter,
slaying,
carnage,
butchery,
blood-letting,
blood bath
in the sense of carnage
Definition
extensive slaughter of people
Their peaceful protest ended in carnage.
Synonyms
slaughter,
murder,
massacre,
holocaust,
havoc,
bloodshed,
shambles,
mass murder,
butchery,
blood bath
Synonyms of 'slaughter'
slaughter
Explore 'slaughter' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of crush
Definition
to control or subdue by force
The military operation was the first step in a plan to crush the uprising.
Synonyms
overcome,
overwhelm,
put down,
subdue,
overpower,
quash,
quell,
extinguish,
stamp out,
vanquish (literary),
conquer
in the sense of destroy
Definition
to ruin
The building was completely destroyed.
Synonyms
ruin,
smash,
crush,
waste,
devastate,
break down,
wreck,
shatter,
gut,
wipe out,
dispatch,
dismantle,
demolish,
trash (slang),
total (slang),
ravage,
slay (archaic, literary),
eradicate,
torpedo,
extinguish,
desolate,
annihilate,
put paid to,
raze,
blow to bits,
extirpate (archaic),
blow sky-high
in the sense of destroy
Definition
to kill (an animal)
The horse had to be destroyed.
Synonyms
slaughter,
kill,
put down,
exterminate,
put to sleep
in the sense of dispatch
Definition
to murder
They may catch him and dispatch him immediately.
Synonyms
kill,
murder,
destroy,
do in (slang),
eliminate (slang),
take out (slang),
execute,
butcher,
slaughter,
assassinate,
slay (archaic, literary),
finish off,
put an end to,
do away with,
blow away (slang, US),
liquidate,
annihilate,
exterminate,
take (someone's) life,
bump off (slang)
in the sense of execute
Definition
to put a condemned person to death
Roman soldiers could be executed for treason.
Synonyms
put to death,
kill,
shoot,
hang,
behead,
decapitate,
guillotine,
electrocute
in the sense of exterminate
Definition
to destroy a group or type of people, animals, or plants completely
A huge effort was made to exterminate the rats.
Synonyms
destroy,
kill,
eliminate,
abolish,
eradicate,
annihilate,
extirpate (archaic)
in the sense of extermination
the extermination of thousands of innocent people
Synonyms
destruction,
murder,
massacre,
slaughter,
killing,
wiping out,
genocide,
elimination,
ethnic cleansing (euphemistic),
mass murder,
annihilation,
eradication,
extirpation (formal)
in the sense of hammer
Definition
to defeat heavily
He hammered the young left-hander in four straight sets.
Synonyms
defeat,
beat,
thrash,
stuff (slang),
master,
worst,
tank (slang),
lick (informal),
trounce,
clobber (slang),
run rings around (informal),
wipe the floor with (informal),
blow out of the water (slang),
drub
in the sense of holocaust
Definition
destruction or loss of life on a massive scale
a fund for survivors of the holocaust and their families
Synonyms
genocide,
massacre,
carnage,
mass murder,
ethnic cleansing (euphemistic),
annihilation,
pogrom
in the sense of killing
Definition
the act of causing death
This is a brutal killing.
Synonyms
murder,
massacre,
slaughter,
execution,
dispatch,
manslaughter,
elimination,
slaying,
homicide,
bloodshed,
carnage,
fatality,
liquidation,
extermination,
annihilation,
eradication,
butchery
Additional synonyms
in the sense of lick
Definition
to defeat
He might be able to lick us all in a fair fight.
Synonyms
beat,
defeat,
overcome,
best,
top,
stuff (slang),
tank (slang),
undo,
rout,
excel,
surpass,
outstrip,
outdo,
trounce,
clobber (slang),
vanquish,
run rings around (informal),
wipe the floor with (informal),
blow out of the water (slang)
in the sense of massacre
Definition
to kill people indiscriminately in large numbers
Troops indiscriminately massacred the defenceless population.
Synonyms
slaughter,
kill,
murder,
butcher,
take out (slang),
wipe out,
slay (archaic, literary),
blow away (slang, US),
annihilate,
exterminate,
mow down,
cut to pieces
in the sense of massacre
Definition
the wanton or savage killing of large numbers of people
She lost her mother in the massacre.
Synonyms
slaughter,
killing,
murder,
holocaust,
carnage,
extermination,
annihilation,
butchery,
mass slaughter,
blood bath
in the sense of murder
Definition
to kill someone intentionally and unlawfully
a thriller about two men who murder a third
Synonyms
kill,
massacre,
slaughter,
assassinate,
hit (slang),
destroy,
waste (informal),
do in (informal),
eliminate (slang),
take out (slang),
terminate (slang),
butcher,
dispatch,
slay,
blow away (slang, US),
bump off (slang),
rub out (US, slang),
take the life of,
do to death,
murk (slang)
in the sense of murder
Definition
the unlawful intentional killing of one human being by another
The three accused are charged with attempted murder.
Synonyms
killing,
homicide,
massacre,
assassination,
slaying,
bloodshed,
carnage,
butchery
in the sense of overwhelm
Definition
to overcome (people) with irresistible force
One massive assault would overwhelm the weakened enemy.
Synonyms
destroy,
beat,
defeat,
overcome,
smash,
crush,
massacre,
conquer,
wipe out,
overthrow,
knock out,
lick (informal),
subdue,
rout,
eradicate,
overpower,
quell,
annihilate,
put paid to,
vanquish (literary),
subjugate,
immobilize,
make mincemeat of (informal),
cut to pieces
in the sense of rout
Definition
to defeat and put to flight
The Norman army routed the English opposition.
Synonyms
defeat,
beat,
overthrow,
thrash,
stuff (slang),
worst,
destroy,
chase,
tank (slang),
crush,
scatter,
conquer,
lick (informal),
dispel,
drive off,
overpower,
clobber (slang),
wipe the floor with (informal),
cut to pieces,
put to flight,
drub,
put to rout,
throw back in confusion
in the sense of slay
Definition
to kill, esp. violently
the hill where he slew the dragon
Synonyms
kill (informal),
destroy,
slaughter,
eliminate,
massacre,
butcher,
dispatch,
annihilate,
exterminate
in the sense of thrash
Definition
to defeat totally
They thrashed their opponents 5-0.
Synonyms
defeat,
beat,
hammer (informal),
stuff (slang),
tank (slang),
crush,
overwhelm,
slaughter (informal),
lick (informal),
paste (slang),
rout,
maul,
trounce,
clobber (slang),
run rings around (informal),
wipe the floor with (informal),
make mincemeat of (informal),
blow someone out of the water (slang),
drub,
beat someone hollow (British, informal)
in the sense of trounce
Definition
to defeat (someone) utterly
Australia trounced France by sixty points to four.
Synonyms
defeat someone heavily or utterly,
beat,
thrash,
slaughter (informal),
stuff (slang),
tank (slang),
hammer (informal),
crush,
overwhelm,
lick (informal),
paste (slang),
rout,
walk over (informal),
clobber (slang),
run rings around (informal),
wipe the floor with (informal),
make mincemeat of,
blow someone out of the water (slang),
give someone a hiding (informal),
drub,
beat someone hollow (British, informal),
give someone a pasting (slang)
Additional synonyms
in the sense of undo
Definition
to cause the downfall of
Our hopes of a victory were undone by an error from the goalkeeper.
Synonyms
ruin,
defeat,
destroy,
wreck,
shatter,
upset,
mar,
undermine,
overturn,
quash,
subvert,
bring to naught
in the sense of vanquish
Definition
to defeat (someone) in a battle, contest, or argument
a happy ending in which the hero vanquishes the monsters