Verbs of Helping and Hurting - Verbs for Killing and Debilitating

Here you will learn some English verbs referring to killing and debilitating such as "slay", "behead", and "assassinate".

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Verbs of Helping and Hurting
to kill
to kill [verb]

to end the life of someone or something

Ex: The murderer used a weapon to kill his victim .
to slay
to slay [verb]

to intentionally cause someone's death with planning and purpose

Ex: In the mystery novel , the detective worked to uncover the killer 's motive to slay the victim .
to slaughter
to slaughter [verb]

to kill a large number of people, often in a harsh and heartless manner

Ex: In the tragic event , a lone gunman attempted to slaughter innocent bystanders .
to assassinate
to assassinate [verb]

to murder a prominent figure in a sudden attack, usually for political purposes

Ex: In the historical account , a plot was uncovered to assassinate the king .
to massacre
to massacre [verb]

to brutally kill a large number of people

Ex: The historical account described how colonizers would massacre indigenous populations .
to decimate
to decimate [verb]

to kill large groups of people

Ex: The famine had the potential to decimate the already vulnerable communities .
to butcher
to butcher [verb]

to kill people in a brutal and cruel way

Ex: The serial killer butchered his victims with no remorse .
to liquidate
to liquidate [verb]

to eliminate someone, often perceived as a threat, by causing their death

Ex: The dictator 's regime was known for liquidating political dissidents .
to lynch
to lynch [verb]

to kill someone without legal approval

Ex: The vigilante group sought to lynch those they deemed responsible for the crime .
to hunt
to hunt [verb]

to pursue wild animals in order to kill or catch them, for sport or food

Ex: The hunter patiently waited for the perfect opportunity to hunt the elusive deer .
to prey on
to prey on [verb]

to hunt, capture, and eat other animals as a means of survival

Ex: The predatory cat preyed on a mouse that had ventured too far from its burrow .
to behead
to behead [verb]

to cut off someone's head

Ex: The executioner skillfully beheaded the condemned prisoner with a swift stroke .
to decapitate
to decapitate [verb]

to cut off the head of someone or something

Ex: The medieval knight sought to decapitate the dragon with a powerful swing .
to electrocute
to electrocute [verb]

to kill or injure someone through electric shock

Ex: The child was electrocuted after dropping a metal object into a power socket .
to starve
to starve [verb]

to deprive someone or something of food

Ex: The cruel ruler would often use food as a means of punishment , choosing to starve dissenters .
to gas
to gas [verb]

to attack or expose someone or something to gas or harmful fumes

Ex: The factory emissions were known to gas nearby neighborhoods , causing health concerns .
to choke
to choke [verb]

to block the throat, hinder breathing and cause suffocation

Ex: Unfortunately , the criminal chose to choke the victim , leaving them gasping for breath .
to suffocate
to suffocate [verb]

to block someone or something's access to air, making it difficult or impossible to breathe

Ex: The room was so airtight that the heat began to suffocate everyone inside .
to strangle
to strangle [verb]

to kill by choking the throat and blocking the air supply

Ex: The snake constricted its prey , attempting to strangle it before swallowing .
to smother
to smother [verb]

to stop someone or something from breathing by covering or blocking the air

Ex: The assassin attempted to smother the victim with a pillow .
to throttle
to throttle [verb]

to end someone's life by squeezing their throat, cutting off their air supply

Ex: The police apprehended the suspect before he could throttle his intended victim .
to stifle
to stifle [verb]

to die or struggle for breath due to a lack of oxygen

Ex: The intense heat in the attic caused them to stifle and gasp for air .
to asphyxiate
to asphyxiate [verb]

to cause someone to stop breathing by depriving them of oxygen

Ex: The fire produced thick smoke that could asphyxiate those trapped in the building .
to numb
to numb [verb]

to make a part of the body lose sensation or responsiveness

Ex: As I walked in the snow , the freezing temperatures were numbing my feet .
to paralyze
to paralyze [verb]

to cause a person, animal, or part of the body to lose the ability to move or function, usually due to injury or illness

Ex: The venom from the snakebite had the potential to paralyze the victim .
to cripple
to cripple [verb]

to inflict severe damage to someone's body so that they are unable to walk or move properly

Ex:
to blind
to blind [verb]

to make someone unable to see by causing damage to their eyes

Ex: An injury from flying debris could blind a person if proper safety measures were not taken .
to deafen
to deafen [verb]

to cause a temporary or permanent loss of hearing

Ex: The explosion nearby deafened everyone in the room .
to lame
to lame [verb]

to cause someone to lose the use of a limb, particularly a leg

Ex:
to torpefy
to torpefy [verb]

to make a part of the body or the whole of it numb, immobile, or inactive

Ex: Prolonged exposure to extreme cold can torpefy certain body parts .
Verbs of Helping and Hurting
Verbs for Assistance Verbs for Dedication Verbs for Strengthening Verbs for Support and Encouragement
Verbs for Protection Verbs for Causing Harm Verbs for Striking Verbs for Killing and Debilitating
Verbs for Causing Danger Verbs for Destruction and Damage Verbs for Elimination Verbs for Disruption
Verbs for Harassment