☠️ To cause death 🤕 To cause pain 🛑 To stop completely 🎯 A successful killing 🍾 To finish drinking ✂️ To delete 🏸 To hit hard (sports)

to kill

682 2.8

Stop something from working or continuing

verb
/kɪl/

: cancelar

The new policy aims to kill unnecessary bureaucracy that slows down progress.
kill the plan
kill the idea

Arise fair sun, and kill the envious moon.

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Examples

His harsh criticism could kill the team's motivation and enthusiasm for the project.
Last summer, this approach killed about 88 percent of boll weevils on a 16-acre Weslaco research site.

Academic text (1994)
The object is to slow the growth or to kill the bacteria.
And hopefully this kills the, the, the idea.
Billy, kill that story about the Republican convention in Chicago and take this down!

Stagecoach (1939)
The idea was for the compound in the urine to wet the bedding and kill developing flies.

Academic text (1994)
If we don't act now, the ongoing pollution will eventually kill the river's ecosystem.

Synonyms

to stop

vsto kill

∞ 1.0

To make something end and not continue

is broader, also including ending effects or destroying functions

to eliminate

vsto kill

NSFW

502 3.4

Remove or kill something completely so it is gone

focuses more on ending effects or stopping continuation rather than only removal

to cease

vsto kill

324 3.6

To stop or come to an end

is about ending or destroying effects, not only the act of stopping

to defeat

vsto kill

171 2.7

To stop a proposal from passing, often by vote

is the broader act of ending beyond opposition in decisions

to terminate

vsto kill

147 4.6

To make something stop or finish

is the general idea of stopping in many ways, including destruction

to eradicate

vsto kill

85 6.6

Remove something harmful completely, for example a disease or pest

applies to ending things generally, not only harmful ones

to annihilate

vsto kill

NSFW

63 7.5

To destroy completely, often killing many people

is the broader act of bringing something to an end in any way

to put a stop to

vsto kill

62 3.0

To end something so it no longer happens

is the general ending idea without the idiomatic phrasing

to exterminate

vsto kill

NSFW

60 6.9

To destroy something completely, often on purpose

covers ending broadly, not necessarily systematic or targeted removal

to vote out

vsto kill

57 3.2

Reject a proposal by voting against it

is the wider ending idea not tied to electoral processes

to kill off

vsto kill

44 4.8

Destroy almost all members of a group, like a type of animal or product

is the general idea of ending something, not only mass removal

to shoot down

vsto kill

Informal

31 3.8

Say no to an idea or plan in a sudden, strong way

covers ending in many contexts, not only idea rejection

to vote down

vsto kill

18 4.2

Reject a proposal or plan because more people say no

is the general ending notion not limited to formal voting

to torpedo

vsto kill

13 5.1

To destroy or ruin something suddenly and completely

describes ending in general without the sudden violent element

to stamp out

vsto kill

13 4.2

To stop something completely using strong action

is the broader stopping concept without stressing forceful methods

to snuff out

vsto kill

9 7.7

Put an end to something or to someone's life

is the more general stopping idea, not only ending existence

Antonyms

to continue

∞ 1.0

To keep doing something without stopping

to initiate

426 4.5

To start something such as a project or discussion

Idioms

kill me

Informal

414 9.3

Said when you feel very annoyed or cannot believe something

kill two birds with one stone

Informal

7 3.7

To do two things at once with one action

to kill the mood

Informal

5 6.2

To end a pleasant situation suddenly by saying or doing something awkward that makes people feel bad

in for the kill

Informal

4 8.1

To act quickly and strongly to win when you see a chance

dressed to kill

Informal

1 6.8

Wearing very attractive, stylish clothes to get people's attention

to kill the goose that lays the golden eggs

1 8.2

To destroy a steady source of income by greedy short-term choices

to dress to kill

Informal

1 6.2

To wear very attractive clothes to impress people

to kill the fatted calf

Literature

1 8.9

Give someone a large special party with lots of food

to come in for the kill

Informal

7.7

To make a final move to win at an important moment

to kill your darlings

Literature

8.8

To remove parts of your writing that you love to make it clearer

if looks could kill

Informal

8.9

A very angry stare that seems like it could hurt someone

Phrasal Verbs

to kill it

Slang

102 8.8

Do very well in something and impress people

to kill off

44 4.8

Destroy almost all members of a group, like a type of animal or product

to kill for

Informal

41 7.3

To want something very much

to kill oneself

Informal

9 8.1

To work too hard and make yourself very tired or sick

to mercy kill

NSFW

8.6

Cause a person or animal to die without pain to stop suffering

to go for kill steal

Slang

9.5

To try to get the last hit on an enemy after another player did most fighting

Compounds

kill zone

Jargon

9 8.4

An area where people are very likely to be killed during an attack

kill steal

Jargon

8.9

Taking the final hit on an enemy in a game so another player does not get the kill

kill stealer

Jargon

9.9

A player who takes the final hit on an enemy another player fought

soft kill strategy

NSFW

8.1

A plan that makes people or machines stop working without causing death and without causing damage

How Final

to destroy

∞ 1.0

to kill

682 2.8

to terminate

147 4.6

to stop

∞ 1.0

to pause

346 1.0

Surface Forms

kill infinitive

killed past

killed past participle

killing present participle

kills third person singular

Etymology

Kill in the sense 'to bring to an end' (as in 'kill the engine') is related to Old English cwellan and the English word quell, both meaning 'to end', so to kill something is to stop it from working or continuing.