1 B1 idiomatic neutral
To cause the death or extinction of a group of animals, plants, or people.
"Pollution has killed off nearly all the fish in that stretch of the river."
separable
kill off
B1 neutral separable transitive
To cause the complete or gradual destruction, elimination, or ending of something or a group.
In plain English
To get rid of something or someone completely, or to destroy a group one by one.
What does "kill off" mean?
3 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B1 idiomatic informal
In fiction, to end a character's life in a story, show, or book.
"The writers decided to kill off the main villain in the season finale."
separable
3 B2 idiomatic neutral
To gradually end or eliminate a business, idea, habit, or trend.
"The rise of digital streaming has killed off the market for physical music stores."
separable
Usage tip
Very widely used in ecology (species killed off), fiction (writers killing off characters), business (products or companies), and history. Has a deliberate or progressive feel compared to 'wipe out'. Frequently used metaphorically.
Words that pair with "kill off"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
species character competition bacteria industry rival population
How to conjugate "kill off"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
kill off
I/you/we/they
3rd person
kills off
he/she/it
Past simple
killed off
yesterday
Past participle
killed off
have + pp
-ing form
killing off
continuous
Hear "kill off" in the wild
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Other ways to say "kill off"
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