---
name: "kill"
section: "1"
platform: "macos"
package: "shell_cmds"
version: "329"
release: "macOS 26.5"
platforms: ["linux", "freebsd", "openbsd", "macos"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/kill"
---

# kill(1)

terminate or signal a process

## NAME

**kill** – terminate or signal a process

## SYNOPSIS

**kill** \[**-s** *signal\_name*\] *pid* *...*

**kill** **-l** \[*exit\_status*\]

**kill** **-***signal\_name* *pid* *...*

**kill** **-***signal\_number* *pid* *...*

## DESCRIPTION

The **kill** utility sends a signal to the processes specified by the *pid* operands.

Only the super-user may send signals to other users' processes.

The options are as follows:

- **-s** *signal\_name*

  A symbolic signal name specifying the signal to be sent instead of the default TERM.

- **-l** \[*exit\_status*\]

  If no operand is given, list the signal names; otherwise, write the signal name corresponding to *exit\_status*.

- **-***signal\_name*

  A symbolic signal name specifying the signal to be sent instead of the default TERM.

- **-***signal\_number*

  A non-negative decimal integer, specifying the signal to be sent instead of the default TERM.

The following PIDs have special meanings:

- \-1

  If superuser, broadcast the signal to all processes; otherwise broadcast to all processes belonging to the user.

Some of the more commonly used signals:

- 1

  HUP (hang up)

- 2

  INT (interrupt)

- 3

  QUIT (quit)

- 6

  ABRT (abort)

- 9

  KILL (non-catchable, non-ignorable kill)

- 14

  ALRM (alarm clock)

- 15

  TERM (software termination signal)

Some shells may provide a builtin **kill** command which is similar or identical to this utility. Consult the [builtin(1)](/builtin/1.md) manual page.

## EXIT STATUS

The **kill** utility exits 0 on success, and \>0 if an error occurs.

## EXAMPLES

Terminate the processes with PIDs 142 and 157:

```
kill 142 157
```

Send the hangup signal (SIGHUP) to the process with PID 507:

```
kill -s HUP 507
```

Terminate the process group with PGID 117:

```
kill -- -117
```

## SEE ALSO

[builtin(1)](/builtin/1.md), [csh(1)](/csh/1.md), [killall(1)](/killall/1.md), [ps(1)](/ps/1.md), [sh(1)](/sh/1.md), [kill(2)](/kill/2.md), [sigaction(2)](/sigaction/2.md)

## STANDARDS

The **kill** utility is expected to be IEEE Std 1003.2 (“POSIX.2”) compatible.

## HISTORY

A **kill** command appeared in Version 3 AT&T UNIX in section 8 of the manual.

## BUGS

A replacement for the command “kill 0” for [csh(1)](/csh/1.md) users should be provided.