Kill — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

verb noun /ˈkil/

Meaning & Definition of Kill

Kill (verb)

  1. to deprive of life, cause the death of
  2. to slaughter (an animal) for food
  3. to convert a food animal into (a kind of meat) by slaughtering

Kill (noun)

  1. an act or instance of killing
  2. a decisive act that conclusively secures something (such as a deal or win)
  3. something killed
  4. channel, creek —used chiefly in place names in Delaware, Pennsylvania, and New York

Kill (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to deprive of life

    "during the war more soldiers were killed by disease than anything else"

    similar: carry off, claim, croak (slang), destroy, dispatch, do in, fell, slay, take, do away with, do for (chiefly British), make away with
    related: bump off, butcher, cut down, finish, get, ice (slang), knock off, murder, neutralize, off (slang), put away, rub out, scrag, snuff, take out, waste, whack (slang), annihilate, blot out, decimate, kill off, massacre, mow, slaughter, smite, assassinate, execute, martyr, terminate, euthanize, put down, suicide
    opposite: animate
    near: raise, restore, resurrect, resuscitate, revive, nurture

  2. to reject by or as if by a vote

    "the Senate killed the bill by a single vote"

    similar: blackball, down, negative, nix, shoot down, veto
    related: decline, disallow, disapprove, dismiss, refuse, blacklist
    opposite: confirm, ratify
    near: admit, allow, approve, assent (to), pass, sanction, elect, support

  3. to show (something written) to be no longer valid by drawing a cross over or a line through it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"

    similar: blue-pencil, cancel, cross (out), dele, delete, edit (out), elide, scratch (out), strike (out), stroke (out), x (out)
    related: blot out, efface, eradicate, erase, expunge, obliterate, root (out), rub out, wipe out, bleep, blip, clip, cut, excise, remove, bowdlerize, censor, clean (up), expurgate, launder, redact, red-pencil, abbreviate, crop, shorten, black out, repress, silence, suppress

  4. to use up all the physical energy of

    "the long hike up the mountain just about killed us"

    similar: break, burn out, bust, do in, do up, drain, exhaust, fag, fatigue, frazzle, harass, knock out, outwear, tire, tucker (out), wash out, wear, wear out, weary, wear to a frazzle
    related: debilitate, enervate, enfeeble, sap, waste, weaken
    near: activate, energize, invigorate, rejuvenate, strengthen, vitalize, relax, rest, unwind

  5. to attract or delight as if by magic

    "with his dark good looks he would positively kill the ladies"

    similar: allure, beguile, bewitch, captivate, charm, enchant, fascinate, magnetize, wile, witch (archaic)
    related: disarm, draw, entice, lure, pull, seduce, tempt, delight, gratify, please, arrest, enrapture, enthrall, entrance, appeal (to), interest, intrigue, beckon, court, invite, solicit, woo
    near: disgust, offend, repel, revolt, annoy, displease, irk, bore, tire, weary

  6. to cause to stop functioning

    "kill the engine before it overheats"

    similar: deactivate, shut off, turn off
    related: flick (off), dismantle, mothball, phase out, arrest, brake, chock, cut off, draw up, halt, jam, stall, stick
    opposite: activate, actuate, crank (up), drive, move, propel, run, set off, spark, start, touch off, trigger, turn on
    near: charge, electrify, energize, fire, fuel, generate, power, push, discharge, launch, release, switch, trip, reactivate, recharge

Kill (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. as in victim

    similar: victim, game, beast, brute, creature, critter, chase, prey, quarry, target
    opposite: predator, carnivore, chaser, hunter, pursuer, killer, murderer

  2. as in cut, race

    similar: canal, channel, cut, cutoff, gut, millrace, millstream, race, watercourse, waterway, bayou, coulee, slough, stream, wash, affluent, branch, confluent, distributary, influent, tributary, arroyo, billabong (Australian), fresh, freshet, runoff, beck (British), bourn, brook, brooklet, burn (British), creek, gill (British), rill, rivulet, run (chiefly Midland), runlet, runnel, streamlet

Related Entry: Kill time (phrase)

Kill time is a different word from Kill. The synonyms below are for kill time, not for kill.

  1. to spend time doing nothing

    "They were scrolling through their phones to kill time before the movie started."

    similar: bum, chill, dally, dawdle, dillydally, drone, footle, goof (off), hack (around), hang (around or out), hang about (British), idle, kick around, kick back, laze, lazy, loaf, loll, lounge, veg out, twiddle one's thumbs
    related: fiddle (around), fool, mess, monkey, muck, piddle, play, potter (around), putter (around), trifle, doze, estivate, hibernate, lag, linger, loiter, poke, relax, rest, tarry, amble, mosey, saunter, stroll, swan, furlough, goldbrick, malinger, truant
    near: drudge, grind, grub, hump, hustle, labor, moil, peg, plod, plow, plug, slave, sweat, toil, travail, work, apply, buckle (down), exert, put out

Related Entry: Kill off (verb)

Kill off is a different word from Kill. The synonyms below are for kill off, not for kill.

  1. as in slaughter, blot out

    similar: annihilate, blot out, decimate, massacre, mow, slaughter, smite, bump off, butcher, cut down, finish, get, ice (slang), knock off, murder, neutralize, off (slang), put away, rub out, scrag, snuff, take out, waste, whack (slang), assassinate, execute, martyr, terminate, carry off, claim, croak (slang), destroy, dispatch, do in, fell, kill, slay, take, euthanize, put down, suicide
    opposite: animate, raise, restore, resurrect, resuscitate, revive, nurture

Related Entry: Clock (noun)

Clock is a different word from Kill. The synonyms below are for clock, not for kill.

  1. a device to measure time

    "the clock reads 5:00 p.m."

    similar: chronometer, timekeeper, timepiece, timer
    related: alarm clock, atomic clock, cuckoo clock, grandfather clock, time clock, clepsydra, hourglass, sandglass, sundial, water clock, chronograph, stopwatch, watch

Related Entry: Fit (adjective)

Fit is a different word from Kill. The synonyms below are for fit, not for kill.

  1. meeting the requirements of a purpose or situation

    "clothing that is fit for horseback riding"

    similar: applicable, appropriate, apt, becoming, befitting, felicitous, fitted, fitting, good, happy, meet, pretty, proper, right, suitable, in order
    related: condign, deserved, just, justified, needed, required, requisite, able, capable, competent, cut out, qualified, trained, pitch-perfect, acceptable, adequate, decent, kosher, satisfactory, serviceable, tolerable, correct, decorous, respectable, seemly, balanced, companionate, congruous, consonant, harmonious, rightful
    opposite: improper, inapplicable, inapposite, inappropriate, inapt, incongruous, indecent, infelicitous, malapropos, misbecoming, unapt, unbecoming, unbeseeming, unfit, unfitting, unhappy, unmeet, unseemly, unsuitable, wrong
    near: incapable, incompetent, inept, inexpert, unqualified, unskilled, unskillful, untrained, inadequate, intolerable, unacceptable, unsatisfactory, graceless, incorrect, indecorous, incompatible, uncongenial

  2. being in a state of fitness for some experience or action

    "fit for military service"

    similar: go, prepared, ready, set
    related: conditioned, primed, ripe, armed, braced, fortified, steeled, qualified, trained
    opposite: flat-footed, half-baked, half-cocked, underprepared, unprepared, unready
    near: unqualified, untrained

  3. capable of or suitable for being used for a particular purpose

    "I don't think those bald tires are fit for winter driving"

    similar: available, employable, exploitable, functional, operable, practicable, serviceable, usable, useful
    related: applicable, relevant, doable, feasible, viable, workable, reusable
    opposite: impracticable, inoperable, nonfunctional, unavailable, unemployable, unusable

  4. enjoying health and vigor

    "eat well and stay fit"

    similar: able-bodied, bouncing, hale, healthy, hearty, robust, sound, well, well-conditioned, whole, wholesome, in fine fettle, in shape, in the pink
    related: hard, hardy, iron, lusty, rugged, stalwart, strong, sturdy, tough, ambulatory, nondisabled, uncrippled, active, agile, chipper, lively, sprightful, sprightly, spry, vigorous, vital, blooming, clean-cut, flourishing, flush, prospering, thriving, all right, good, right
    opposite: ailing, diseased, ill, sick, unfit, unhealthy, unsound, unwell
    near: decrepit, enfeebled, feeble, infirm, run-down, sickened, sickly, weak, weakened, weakly, worn-out, debilitated, differently abled, disabled, incapacitated, delicate, fragile, frail, emaciated, gaunt, haggard, malnourished, undernourished, afflicted, troubled, bad, poorly

  5. having the required skills for an acceptable level of performance

    "need to hire someone whose language skills make them fit for the job"

    similar: able, capable, competent, equal, good, qualified, suitable, on the ball
    related: accomplished, ace, adept, experienced, expert, master, masterful, masterly, practiced, proficient, seasoned, skilled, skillful, veteran, overqualified, prepared, schooled, trained, apt, ready, willing, all-around, protean, versatile
    opposite: incompetent, inept, poor, unfit, unfitted, unqualified
    near: inexperienced, inexpert, unseasoned, unskilled, unskillful, unprepared, unschooled, untrained, beginning, green, new, raw, untested, untried

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Kill

The most common words with a similar meaning to Kill:

British: beck, burn, gill
Slang: croak
Chiefly British: do for
Archaic: witch
Australian: billabong
Chiefly Midland: run
carry off, claim, destroy, dispatch, do in, fell, slay, take, blackball, down, negative, nix, shoot down, veto, blue-pencil, cancel, cross (out), dele, delete, edit (out), elide, scratch (out), strike (out), stroke (out), x (out), break, burn out, bust, do up, drain, exhaust, fag, fatigue, frazzle, harass, knock out, outwear, tire, tucker (out), wash out

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Kill

Words with the opposite meaning of Kill:

animate, confirm, ratify, activate, actuate, crank (up), drive, move, propel, run, set off, spark, start, touch off, trigger, turn on, predator, carnivore, chaser, hunter, pursuer, killer, murderer

Related Words for Kill

bump off, butcher, cut down, finish, get, ice, knock off, murder, neutralize, off, put away, rub out, scrag, snuff, take out, waste, whack, annihilate, blot out, decimate, kill off, massacre, mow, slaughter, smite, assassinate, execute, martyr, terminate, euthanize

Near Antonyms of Kill

raise, restore, resurrect, resuscitate, revive, nurture, admit, allow, approve, assent (to), pass, sanction, elect, support, energize, invigorate, rejuvenate, strengthen, vitalize, relax, rest, unwind, disgust, offend, repel, revolt, annoy, displease, irk, bore

Word Forms of Kill

Inflections: killed, killing, kills

Derived words: killable (adjective)

Origin & Etymology of Kill

Middle English, perhaps from Old English *cyllan; akin to Old English cwellan to kill quell

First known use: 14th centuryt

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Kill

Words & Phrases Containing Kill

kill off, kill switch, kill the clock, kill oneself, kill (someone) with kindness

Frequently Asked Questions about Kill

What does "Kill" mean?

"Kill" means to deprive of life, cause the death of. As an a verb and a noun, it is defined as: to deprive of life, cause the death of. It has 8 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Kill"?

Other words for "Kill" include carry off, claim, croak, destroy, dispatch, do in, fell and slay. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Kill" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Kill"?

There are 213 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Kill". Common alternatives include carry off, claim, croak, destroy, dispatch, do in, fell, slay, take and blackball.

What is the opposite of "Kill"?

Antonyms of "Kill" include animate, confirm, ratify, activate, actuate, crank (up), drive and move. Near antonyms include raise, restore, resurrect and resuscitate.

How do you use "Kill" in a sentence?

Examples of "Kill" in a sentence: "during the war more soldiers were killed by disease than anything else"; "the Senate killed the bill by a single vote"; "I think that paragraph is irrelevant, so kill it".

Is "Kill" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Kill" can be used as a verb and a noun, depending on the context.

Is "Kill" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As an A2-level word, "Kill" is typical of Cambridge A2 Key (KET), PTE Academic 30–42, TOEIC Listening & Reading 225+.

How do you pronounce "Kill"?

"Kill" is pronounced /ˈkil/.