slay
verb
ˈslā 
slew ˈslü also especially in sense 2 slayed; slain ˈslān ; slaying; slays
also especially in sense 2 slayed; slain ˈslān ; slaying; slays 1
transitive : to kill violently, wantonly, or in great numbers
slay the enemy
This was the appearance of a dreadful epidemic which in that age, and long before and afterward, was wont to slay its hundreds and thousands on both sides of the Atlantic.
Nathaniel Hawthorne
Nathaniel Hawthorne broadly : to strike down : kill
slay a dragon
"It's a lot easier to slay a vampire with a stake in the heart than it is to slay some of our demons that are in our heads." Rachel T. Hill
Rachel T. Hill 2
transitive, informal : to delight or amuse immensely
slayed the audience
… [Seth Rogen] is currently slaying critics with Superbad, which he co-wrote with Evan Goldberg. Tanner Stransky
Tanner Stransky3
transitive + intransitive, informal : to do something or perform exceptionally well or impressively : to be exceptionally impressive
From the Let Girls Learn initiative to her Vogue covers, [Yara Shahidi] slays it all. Rebecca Sun
Rebecca SunBeyoncé did not come to this year's Grammy Awards just to slay, she came to make a statement. Jackie Fields
Jackie FieldsFrom the red carpet to her sure-to-be epic performance, one thing is for certain—she's gonna slay. Quinn Keaney
Quinn Keaney slayer noun
Synonyms
- carry off
- claim
- croak [slang]
- destroy
- dispatch
- do in
- fell
- kill
- take
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
The knight slew the dragon. millions have been slain worldwide by this dreadful disease
Recent Examples on the Web Watch Jamie Foxx slay his Trump impression for Snoop below. Glenn Rowley, Billboard, 26 Aug. 2022 Wildlife enthusiasts are co-opting various social media platforms to build communities that promote accurate snake information and slay viral myths. Emily Willingham, Scientific American, 23 Aug. 2022 Fed chairman after chairman jousted and failed to slay the inflation dragon—or restore growth. Wsj Opinion Staff, WSJ, 10 Aug. 2022 Thanks to Ouidad, your curls will slay, rain or shine. Samantha Olson, Seventeen, 2 Aug. 2022 Pair it with long, silky waves and a smokey glam makeup look to slay the night away in true King Kylie fashion. Nitya Rao, Seventeen, 5 Aug. 2022 That’s a lot of waiting around in the clubhouse on days when there’s not much to do besides strike up a spirited game of table tennis, or watch José Ramírez slay the competition in Mario Kart. Joe Noga, cleveland, 21 July 2022 Of course, Bella knew with her *magical style intuition* that this hip tattoo moment would slay during her special night. Seventeen, 19 July 2022 As America's Got Talent season 17 continues to showcase incredible acts this summer, one thing is for certain: judge Sofía Vergara always knows how to slay the fashion game. Adrianna Freedman, Good Housekeeping, 12 July 2022 See More
Glenn Rowley, Billboard, 26 Aug. 2022 Wildlife enthusiasts are co-opting various social media platforms to build communities that promote accurate snake information and slay viral myths. Emily Willingham, Scientific American, 23 Aug. 2022 Fed chairman after chairman jousted and failed to slay the inflation dragon—or restore growth. Wsj Opinion Staff, WSJ, 10 Aug. 2022 Thanks to Ouidad, your curls will slay, rain or shine. Samantha Olson, Seventeen, 2 Aug. 2022 Pair it with long, silky waves and a smokey glam makeup look to slay the night away in true King Kylie fashion. Nitya Rao, Seventeen, 5 Aug. 2022 That’s a lot of waiting around in the clubhouse on days when there’s not much to do besides strike up a spirited game of table tennis, or watch José Ramírez slay the competition in Mario Kart. Joe Noga, cleveland, 21 July 2022 Of course, Bella knew with her *magical style intuition* that this hip tattoo moment would slay during her special night. Seventeen, 19 July 2022 As America's Got Talent season 17 continues to showcase incredible acts this summer, one thing is for certain: judge Sofía Vergara always knows how to slay the fashion game. Adrianna Freedman, Good Housekeeping, 12 July 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
Middle English slen, from Old English slēan to strike, slay; akin to Old High German slahan to strike, Middle Irish slachta stricken
First Known Use
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Kids Definition
slay
verb
ˈslā
slew
ˈslü
; slain ˈslān
; slaying : kill entry 1 sense 1
slays
verb
1
as in kills
to deprive of life millions have been slain worldwide by this dreadful disease Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- kills
- destroys
- takes
- dispatches
- claims
- slaughters
- murders
- croaks
- assassinates
- fells
- annihilates
- neutralizes
- carries off
- does for
- smites
- decimates
- does in
- executes
- wastes
- mows
- snuffs
- finishes
- cuts down
- gets
- whacks
- massacres
- butchers
- terminates
- kills off
- rubs out
- does away with
- makes away with
- offs
- scrags
- martyrs
- puts away
- knocks off
- ices
- takes out
- bumps off
- blots out
- euthanizes
- suicides
- euthanatizes
- puts down
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- animates
- revives
- restores
- resurrects
- raises
- nurtures
- resuscitates
2
as in assassinates
to put to death deliberately vowed to slay without mercy whoever was responsible for murdering his family Synonyms & Similar Words
- assassinates
- murders
- executes
- kills
- neutralizes
- gets
- slaughters
- dispatches
- shoots
- destroys
- terminates
- liquidates
- snuffs
- whacks
- croaks
- rubs out
- offs
- puts away
- knocks off
- ices
- takes out
- bumps off
- does in
- smites
- claims
- annihilates
- eliminates
- eradicates
- zaps
- exterminates
- blows away
- cuts down
- does away with
- shoots down
- massacres
- fells
- butchers
- blots out
- carries off
- wipes out
- mows (down)
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- revives
- restores
- resurrects
- animates
- raises
- resuscitates