decapitate
verb
Did you know?
Decapitation is a quick and fairly painless way to go, so it was once considered suitable only for nobles like Sir Walter Raleigh, Mary Queen of Scots, and two of Henry VIII's unfortunate wives. The invention of the guillotine in the 18th century was meant to make execution swifter and more painless than hanging or a badly aimed blow by the executioner's sword.
Examples of decapitate in a Sentence
Anika Burgess
july 17, Literary Hub, 17 July 2025
Israel’s 12-day campaign is the first time the long-running shadow conflict between the Middle East’s military superpowers exploded into open warfare, decapitating the upper echelons of Iran’s military and nuclear leadership.
—Nabih Bulos
foreign Correspondent, Los Angeles Times, 5 July 2025
Damaging Iran’s nuclear facilities, decapitating its leadership structure, and repeatedly disrupting its enrichment efforts forces Tehran into a permanent state of caution.
—David A. Deptula, Forbes.com, 23 June 2025
His body was found decapitated Oct. 11 on the 2300 block of Clay Street with his arms and knees bound with black tape.
—Meredith Colias-Pete, Chicago Tribune, 12 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for decapitate
Cite this Entry
“Decapitate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/decapitate. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
decapitate
verb
derived from Latin decapitare "to cut off the head of," from de- "from, away" and caput "head" — related to capital
Medical Definition
decapitate
1 of 2 transitive verb
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