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to kill

to kill

6.0
Cause strong pain or make someone very tired
  • verb
  • /kɪl/
  • Informal
translation icon : matar
  • "My ankles are killing me, my back is killing me, my hands are killing me."

It's like it's not stress that's killing you, it's chronic stress.

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Examples

  • I'm trying the gum to quit, but it's killing me.

  • Everything that kills me makes me feel alive.

  • Obviously a star jump could kill me now.

  • Oh, it's going to kill me, Jack.

  • This was killing me and it was killing me.

  • Student loan debt is killing, killing our students.

  • Your outfits are killing you, right?

  • I'm just trying to kill this hurt inside of me.

  • Your pride and your ego has been killing your career growth.

  • The suspense is so intense that it's killing me!

Synonyms

to break someone's heart
vsto kill
  • Informal
34 3.4

To make someone very sad because of love or disappointment

covers broader strong effects like exhaustion or intense feelings beyond romantic sadness
to do (someone) in
vsto kill
  • Informal
8 8.3

Make someone very tired or unable to continue

causes great pain exhaustion or strong emotion rather than only defeat
to agonize
vsto kill
  • US
6 6.8

To make someone feel very strong pain or deep worry

causes very strong effects including exhaustion or strong emotion not only mental pain

Antonyms

65 3.7

To make someone feel more active and alert

50 2.8

Make someone or something feel full of energy and less tired

Idioms

kill me
  • Informal
414 9.3

Said when you feel very annoyed or cannot believe something

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 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

1 8.9

Give someone a large special party with lots of food

To make a final move to win at an important moment

8.8

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

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

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

8.6

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

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

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

How Intense

to overwhelm
164 4.4
to kill
  • Informal
6.0
to tire
23 1.0
to bother
1.0
to annoy
246 1.0

Surface Forms

kill infinitive
killed past
killed past participle
killing present participle
kills third person singular

Etymology

When people say something is 'killing' them for pain or tiredness, that comes from Old English cwellan meaning 'to torment', so the modern use links directly to strong pain or exhaustion.