kill off

verb

killed off; killing off; kills off
Synonyms of kill offnext

transitive verb

: to destroy in large numbers or totally

Examples of kill off in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
In The Dog Stars, Elordi, 29, plays a man living in Colorado in the near future, some time after a flu pandemic has killed off much of humanity. — Tommy McArdle, PEOPLE, 2 Sep. 2026 McKenna’s time on GH came to a close when his character was killed off after the WSB chief was found dead in the Metro Court pool. — Armando Tinoco, Deadline, 1 Sep. 2026 The resulting white-nose syndrome has killed off as many as 90% of bat populations over 10 years. — Shi En Kim, AZCentral.com, 28 Aug. 2026 The 1986 film famously devastated fans by killing off Optimus Prime, though the character later returned. — Brendan Morrow, USA Today, 27 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for kill off

Word History

First Known Use

1607, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of kill off was in 1607

Rhymes for kill off

See All Rhymes for kill off

Browse Nearby Words

kill-kid
kill off
killogie
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Kill off.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/kill%20off. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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