as in to head
to cut off the head of a particularly gruesome series of murders in which the victims were decapitated

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of decapitate Mexican authorities recently found 20 bodies, including several that were decapitated and four that were left hanging from a bridge over a highway. Michael Loria, USA Today, 12 July 2025 An autopsy found that the victim was shot in the head before he was decapitated using a machete and knife. Muri Assunção, New York Daily News, 8 July 2025 The News Israel decapitated Iran’s military leadership, launching air strikes on nuclear facilities and ballistic missile bases intended to end Tehran’s atomic weapons program. Mohammed Sergie, semafor.com, 13 June 2025 Along with the corpses – one of which had also been decapitated – authorities found a note seemingly from one of the cartel groups. Sophia Compton, FOXNews.com, 1 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for decapitate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for decapitate
Verb
  • Temperatures will be in the high 90s throughout the week and heading into the weekend.
    Joyce Orlando, The Tennessean, 22 July 2025
  • Here’s a position-by-position breakdown of Johnson’s offense heading into camp.
    Sean Hammond, Chicago Tribune, 21 July 2025
Verb
  • The formidable Russell Crowe explained on X that his direct Fraser ancestry traces to Simon, the notorious 11th Lord Fraser of Lovat, whose Scots rebelliousness led to his becoming the last man beheaded on Tower Hill, in 1747.
    Guy Martin, Forbes.com, 12 July 2025
  • Divorced, beheaded, died, divorced, beheaded, survived.
    Jhumpa Lahiri, New Yorker, 30 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Decapitate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/decapitate. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.

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