slaughtered

USAGE SUMMARY

The word 'slaughtered' is correct and usable in written English.
You can use the word 'slaughtered' to refer to the killing of animals and people in a violent way. Example sentence: The family was brutally slaughtered in their own home.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

But in Prey, Chris Lunt's tense, gut-wrenching drama about John Simm's cop going on the run after his family is slaughtered, she was just exceptional.

The Guardian - TV & Radio

"And they were terrified of disease, of being slaughtered, of their children being taken into slavery.

The Guardian

Many turkeys already have been slaughtered and frozen; more are heading for a similar fate.

The Guardian - Business

At night the trees are said to change their shapes and move stealthily about the valley, mingling with the ghosts of slaughtered Vikings and Saxon defenders.

The Guardian - Travel

For all their recent superstar fawning coverage, Adams and McGuinness headed an organisation for three decades that slaughtered and crippled thousands in the Irish people's name.

The Guardian

A picture of people shopping is captioned: "The talking pigs of Melbourne, Australia, in their sty …" Dehumanised as pigs, his fellow Australians could be slaughtered.

The Guardian

Before the cartoonists at Charlie Hebdo were slaughtered, their own provocations were not widely encouraged or reprinted.

The Guardian - Opinion

They are then slaughtered with knives or hoisted out of the water for capture, with buyers from aquariums picking their favoured animals to perform various tricks for audiences.

The Guardian

He had not slaughtered innocents but performed "political executions" of "cultural Marxists".

The Guardian

His wise mentor (Lawrence, a pig) has been slaughtered and made into bacon strips for the Union army.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

As Dominic Fifield reports below, Diego Maradona's team were slaughtered that day.

The Guardian - Sport

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "slaughtered", consider the emotional impact and whether a less graphic term might be more appropriate for your audience.

Common error

Avoid using "slaughtered" metaphorically when describing defeats in games or business, as it can be perceived as insensitive or hyperbolic. Opt for words like "trounced", "defeated", or "outperformed" instead.

Linguistic Context

Slaughtered functions primarily as the past tense and past participle of the verb "slaughter". As Ludwig AI shows, it describes the act of killing, often in a brutal or violent manner. It can also be used metaphorically to describe a severe defeat.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

35%

Formal & Business

33%

Science

32%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "slaughtered" is a grammatically sound and frequently used verb form that conveys the act of killing, often with connotations of violence and brutality. Ludwig AI confirms its presence across diverse sources, particularly in news, business, and scientific contexts. While generally neutral to formal in register, careful consideration should be given to the emotional impact and potential insensitivity when using "slaughtered" in metaphorical or sensitive contexts. Alternatives such as ""massacred"", ""butchered"", or ""eliminated"" may be more appropriate depending on the intended nuance and audience. When writing avoid overusing the word "slaughtered" for metaphorical usage.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

massacred

Implies indiscriminate and brutal killing of many people.

butchered

Often used when the killing is particularly gruesome or unskilled.

annihilated

Suggests complete destruction or defeat.

exterminated

Implies systematic killing, often of a specific group or species.

decimated

Refers to a significant reduction in number, often through killing.

wiped out

Suggests complete removal or destruction.

cut down

Implies a sudden and violent end to life.

cut to pieces

Focuses on the violent dismemberment of the victim.

obliterated

Emphasizes the thoroughness of the destruction.

liquidated

Often used in formal contexts to mean eliminated or killed, sometimes with connotations of illegality or secrecy.

FAQs

How is "slaughtered" typically used in a sentence?

"Slaughtered" is generally used as the past tense of the verb "slaughter", describing the violent killing of people or animals. For example, "The soldiers "slaughtered" the enemy troops" or "The farmer "slaughtered" the pigs for market."

What are some less graphic alternatives to "slaughtered"?

Depending on the context, alternatives to "slaughtered" include "massacred", "butchered", "killed", or "eliminated". The choice depends on the specific nuance you wish to convey.

Is it appropriate to use "slaughtered" in a metaphorical sense?

While "slaughtered" can be used metaphorically to describe a crushing defeat or a severe loss, it's important to consider the potential insensitivity of using such a violent term in contexts that don't involve actual physical harm. Alternatives like "trounced" or "demolished" may be more suitable.

What's the difference between "slaughtered" and "sacrificed"?

"Slaughtered" implies a violent and often indiscriminate killing, while "sacrificed" suggests that the killing was done for a specific purpose, often religious or ceremonial. Although sometimes they can be synonyms they differ in the motivations and moral implications behind the killing.