kill
1 of 3verb
ˈkil 
killed; killing; kills
transitive verb
1
a
: to deprive of life : cause the death of
a disease that has killed thousands
He threatened to kill them.
b(1)
: to slaughter (an animal) for food
(2)
: to convert a food animal into (a kind of meat) by slaughtering
2
a
: to put an end to
kill competition
a change that could kill our chances for success
b
: defeat, veto
killed the amendment
c
: to mark for omission
also : delete
kill a quote
d
: annihilate, destroy
kill an enemy
3
a
: to destroy the vital or essential quality of
killed the pain with drugs
b
: to cause to stop
kill the motor
c
: to check the flow of current through
kill the lights
4
: to make a markedly favorable impression on
she killed the audience
5
: to get through uneventfully
kill time
also : to get through (the time of a penalty) without being scored on
kill a penalty
6
a
: to cause extreme pain to
My back is killing me.
b
: to tire almost to the point of collapse
has been killing herself to get the project done on time
7
: to hit (a shot) so hard in various games that a return is impossible
killed a backhand down the line
8
: to consume (something, such as a drink) totally
… killed his drink and held out the glass.
W. L. Gresham
W. L. Greshamkilled two bottles of wine over dinner
intransitive verb
1
: to cause the death of a person, animal, or plant
a murderer who may kill again
an herbicide that kills on contact
if looks could kill
2
: to make a markedly favorable impression
was dressed to kill
killable
ˈki-lə-bəl
adjective kill
2 of 3noun (1)
1
a
: an act or instance of killing
an animal moving in for the kill
b
: a decisive act that conclusively secures something (such as a deal or win)
2
: something killed: such as
a(1)
: an animal shot in a hunt
(2)
: animals killed in a hunt, season, or particular period of time
b
: an enemy unit (such as an airplane or ship) destroyed by military action
c
: a return shot in any of various games (such as badminton, handball, or table tennis) that is too hard for an opponent to handle
kill
3 of 3noun (2)
often capitalized
: channel, creek —used chiefly in place names in Delaware, Pennsylvania, and New York
Synonyms
Verb
- carry off
- claim
- croak [slang]
- destroy
- dispatch
- do in
- fell
- slay
- take
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Verb The disease has killed thousands of people. Three people were killed in the accident. a chemical that kills weeds a disease that can kill taking drugs to kill the pain Despite protests, the mayor killed the program. The committee killed the bill. This delay has killed our chances of finishing the project on schedule. She told him to kill the lights. See More
Word History
Etymology
Verb and Noun (1)
Middle English, perhaps from Old English *cyllan; akin to Old English cwellan to kill — more at quell
Noun (2)
Dutch kil
First Known Use
Verb
14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a
Noun (1)
1814, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Noun (2)
1669, in the meaning defined above
Phrases Containing kill
Kids Definition
kill 1 of 2
verb
ˈkil
killed; killing
1
: to end the life of : slay
… she still thought cold weather could kill you in a flash. Christopher Paul Curtis, The Watsons Go to Birmingham—1963
Christopher Paul Curtis, The Watsons Go to Birmingham—19632
: to put an end to
Aspirin will kill this headache.
3
: to use up
We still have time to kill.
4
: defeat entry 1 sense 2
Senators may kill a proposed law.
5
: to cause to become very tired
These long hours are killing me.
kill
2 of 2noun
1
: an act of taking the life of a person or animal
The tiger moved in for the kill.
2
: an animal whose life has been taken
A lion is devouring its kill.
kills 1 of 2
verb
1
as in destroys
to deprive of life during the war more soldiers were killed by disease than anything else Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- destroys
- slays
- takes
- dispatches
- slaughters
- murders
- assassinates
- claims
- neutralizes
- wastes
- gets
- croaks
- carries off
- fells
- executes
- does for
- decimates
- annihilates
- finishes
- massacres
- snuffs
- does in
- smites
- cuts down
- mows
- terminates
- offs
- kills off
- whacks
- butchers
- rubs out
- makes away with
- does away with
- knocks off
- takes out
- martyrs
- bumps off
- blots out
- puts away
- scrags
- ices
- euthanizes
- suicides
- euthanatizes
- puts down
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- revives
- animates
- restores
- raises
- resurrects
- nurtures
- resuscitates
2
as in dismisses
to reject by or as if by a vote the Senate killed the bill by a single vote Synonyms & Similar Words
- dismisses
- refuses
- vetoes
- nixes
- disallows
- blackballs
- downs
- disapproves
- shoots down
- declines
- negatives
- blacklists
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- confirms
- allows
- passes
- approves
- admits
- supports
- ratifies
- elects
- assents (to)
- sanctions
3
as in deletes
to show (something written) to be no longer valid by drawing a cross over or a line through it I think that paragraph is irrelevant, so kill it Synonyms & Similar Words
- deletes
- erases
- removes
- cancels
- censors
- eradicates
- obliterates
- suppresses
- elides
- deles
- expunges
- effaces
- strikes (out)
- wipes out
- crosses (out)
- shortens
- strokes (out)
- scratches (out)
- excises
- edits (out)
- blue-pencils
- clips
- blots out
- rubs out
- silences
- crops
- launders
- redacts
- x's (out)
- expurgates
- blips
- represses
- abbreviates
- cuts
- bleeps
- bowdlerizes
- blacks out
- roots (out)
- cleans (up)
- red-pencils
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- stets
4
as in wears
to use up all the physical energy of the long hike up the mountain just about killed us Synonyms & Similar Words
- wears
- exhausts
- drains
- tires
- wastes
- harasses
- breaks
- weakens
- wearies
- burns out
- knocks out
- busts
- washes out
- wears out
- fatigues
- outwears
- frazzles
- debilitates
- fags
- saps
- wears to a frazzle
- enervates
- does in
- enfeebles
- tuckers (out)
- does up
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- activates
- energizes
- strengthens
- rejuvenates
- invigorates
- rests
- relaxes
- vitalizes
- unwinds
5
as in fascinates
to attract or delight as if by magic with his dark good looks he would positively kill the ladies Synonyms & Similar Words
- fascinates
- entices
- seduces
- enchants
- captivates
- lures
- bewitches
- charms
- magnetizes
- delights
- tempts
- pleases
- draws
- intrigues
- beguiles
- interests
- allures
- disarms
- witches
- pulls
- wiles
- gratifies
- woos
- enraptures
- enthralls
- invites
- arrests
- entrances
- enthrals
- beckons
- appeals (to)
- courts
- solicits
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- offends
- repels
- annoys
- disgusts
- displeases
- bores
- revolts
- irks
- tires
- wearies
6
as in deactivates
to cause to stop functioning kill the engine before it overheats Synonyms & Similar Words
- deactivates
- shuts off
- brakes
- dismantles
- sticks
- halts
- turns off
- phases out
- jams
- arrests
- stalls
- cuts off
- mothballs
- flicks (off)
- chocks
- draws up
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- starts
- activates
- runs
- drives
- moves
- triggers
- propels
- generates
- fuels
- sparks
- pushes
- powers
- actuates
- energizes
- fires
- turns on
- charges
- electrifies
- launches
- touches off
- trips
- releases
- discharges
- switches
- sets off
- cranks (up)
- reactivates
- recharges
kills
2 of 2noun
1
as in victims
Synonyms & Similar Words
- victims
- chases
- preys
- games
- critters
- creatures
- prey
- targets
- brutes
- beasts
- quarries
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- predators
- hunters
- killers
- murderers
- carnivores
- pursuers
- chasers
2
as in washes
Synonyms & Similar Words
- washes
- races
- cuts
- millstreams
- millraces
- cutoffs
- watercourses
- sloughs
- waterways
- canals
- guts
- slues
- streams
- channels
- coulees
- runs
- burns
- slews
- confluents
- distributaries
- influents
- tributaries
- freshes
- bayous
- freshets
- affluents
- branches
- bournes
- runoffs
- brooks
- bourns
- brooklets
- arroyos
- billabongs
- runnels
- runlets
- streamlets
- rills
- rivulets
- creeks
- becks
- gills