kills

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "kills" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used in various contexts, often to describe the act of causing death or to express a strong negative impact on something. Example: "The new policy kills employee morale, leading to a decrease in productivity."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

"One cop kills a guy, doesn't mean we're all killers," he said.

The Guardian

The boost is an enormous help to a small charity looking after sufferers of a debilitating, little understood disease that has no cure and kills five people a day in the UK.

The Guardian

While nicotine is the addictive substance that keeps smokers hooked, Cancer Research UK said it is the toxic cocktail of chemicals in tobacco smoke that kills half of all long-term smokers.

The Guardian

Quote of the week: an indignant Omar on his blissfully ignorant grandma: "That woman think I work in a cafeteria – at the airport!" Murders: still on 50, but Prez does accidently kills another policeman – a distractingly overdramatic subplot for this point in the series?

The Guardian

"[Isis] is an organisation that kills anyone that disagrees with it," she said.

The Guardian

The eighth most common cancer in Australian women kills about 1,000 every year.

The Guardian

Adapted from the smash hit manga, this is a taught horror/crime battle of minds over a notebook that kills anyone whose name is written in it.

The Guardian

Reporting on a disease for which there is no known cure, and which kills most who catch it, is challenging for a newspaper that must respect its deadly properties but write about it in a rational way.

The Guardian - Opinion

Montana law requires an inquest when an officer kills someone.

The Guardian

We have accepted all proposals that have been put on the table … and Assad, while he says he accepts them, kills 200 or 300 people a day.

The Guardian

"The effect of ozone on the lungs is that it effectively kills lung tissue," Fred Richardson, media relations director of the Texas branch of the Sierra Club environmental group, said.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "kills", consider the emotional impact and choose alternatives like "takes life" or "causes death" if a more neutral tone is desired. The term has strong connotations.

Common error

Avoid using "kills" in highly formal or professional documents. Opt for more precise and less emotionally charged alternatives such as "results in fatality" or "terminates".

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "kills" is a verb, specifically the third-person singular present indicative form of "kill". Ludwig AI shows how it typically describes an action performed by a singular subject, often causing death or destruction.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The word "kills" is a versatile verb form used to describe the act of causing death or ending something, with Ludwig AI confirming its correctness and usability. It's grammatically sound and appears very frequently, especially in news and media contexts. While generally neutral, it's important to consider the emotional impact and opt for alternatives like "takes life" or "causes death" in formal settings or when a less emotionally charged tone is desired. When writing, be mindful of overuse and choose more specific alternatives where appropriate.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

takes life

Replaces the direct action of killing with a phrase emphasizing the removal of life.

causes death

Focuses on the causation of death rather than the act itself.

results in fatality

Formal and emphasizes the fatal outcome.

puts to death

A more formal or legalistic way of saying "kills".

exterminates

Suggests a complete and thorough destruction, often of a population.

terminates

A more neutral term that can apply to ending a life or a process.

annihilates

Implies complete obliteration or destruction.

slays

An archaic term for "kills", often used in fantasy or historical contexts.

liquidates

Can refer to killing, especially in a business or criminal context, but also to the conversion of assets into cash.

neutralizes

Suggests rendering something harmless, which can include killing.

FAQs

How can I use "kills" in a sentence?

You can use "kills" to describe the act of causing death, as in "The disease kills thousands each year". It can also describe the ending of something, such as "The new regulations kills small businesses".

What can I say instead of "kills"?

You can use alternatives like "takes life", "causes death", or "results in fatality" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "kills" or "is killing"?

Both are correct but used in different contexts. "Kills" is the third-person singular present tense (e.g., "The virus kills cells"), while "is killing" is the present continuous tense (e.g., "The virus is killing cells rapidly").

What's the difference between "kills" and "killed"?

"Kills" is the present tense, indicating an action happening now or generally. "Killed" is the past tense, indicating an action that has already happened.