How Do You Kill a Werewolf? A Guide to Folklore & Pop Culture

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Plus, learn how to cure lycanthropy

Co-authored by Sydney Bermudez and Raven Minyard, BA

Last Updated: September 24, 2025 Fact Checked

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How to Kill

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In Human Form

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Curing Lycanthropy

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Protecting Yourself

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In Popular Media

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Tips

Werewolves are humans who turn into wolves or wolf-human hybrids during the full moon. These creatures are typically depicted as being supernaturally strong, but in most folklore and media, they aren’t impossible to kill. In this article, we’ll explain some of the most popular ways to kill werewolves, as well as how to cure them and protect yourself from them with help from urban legends expert Sydney Bermudez. We’ll also provide examples of how werewolves are killed in popular movies, TV shows, and video games.

Common Werewolf Weaknesses

Urban legends expert Sydney Bermudez says there are several ways to kill a werewolf in folklore and pop culture. She says some of the most popular methods include:

Silver: In lots of werewolf media, werewolves can be killed with silver, like silver bullets or a silver stake to the heart.
Dismemberment: Werewolves often have strong regeneration abilities, so dismemberment is one of the only ways to kill them.
Wolfsbane: Wolfsbane is often toxic to werewolves, especially if they ingest it.

Section 1 of 5:

Ways to Kill a Werewolf

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Silver bullets/Stake Bermudez agrees that silver is probably the most widely known (and iconic) way to kill or injure a werewolf; she says silver bullets, blades, and arrows have been used in countless stories.^{[1]
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Expert Source

Sydney Bermudez
Urban Legends Expert

Expert Interview} While the most common method is to shoot the werewolf with a silver bullet (aiming for the vital organs), if you can get close enough, it’s also possible to kill them with a silver stake through the heart.^{[2]
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- In general, the silver has to pierce an organ to be fatal. If it doesn’t, it will still likely injure and weaken the werewolf.
- Fun fact: The silver bullet theory was popularized in the 1941 film The Wolf Man. It isn’t actually found in any werewolf folklore!
- In some werewolf stories, the silver also has to be blessed to defeat the werewolf. In others, any bit of silver will do—even a fork.
Meet the wikiHow Expert

Sydney Bermudez is an urban legends and Mexican folklore expert and horror content creator. She specializes in storytelling content, which she shares with her 400k+ followers on TikTok and Instagram.
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Wolfsbane/Belladonna In many legends, werewolves are also weakened by wolfsbane (also known as monkshood) or belladonna, both of which are poisonous plants. In some stories, werewolves must ingest the plant, while others say that any direct contact is enough to kill them. You might also treat a weapon with the plant, then use it to attack the werewolf.^{[3]
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- Wolfsbane is associated with werewolves because it is toxic to real wolves, hence the name.
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Yes, this would kill practically anything, but according to some werewolf lore, decapitation or dismemberment is one of the only sure-fire ways to kill a werewolf. Bermudez says this method is particularly prevalent in older folklore, where “beheading was believed to sever the curse.”^{[4]
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Expert Source

Sydney Bermudez
Urban Legends Expert

Expert Interview} Many legends also recommend burning the body afterwards.^{[5]
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Like dismemberment, this is a good way to kill anything, but removing the heart from the body is a common method for killing werewolves. Werewolves are sometimes depicted as having quick regenerative abilities, meaning they’re able to heal much more quickly than humans. Ripping their heart out prevents them from healing.^{[6]
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Mercury, also known as quicksilver, is another common werewolf weakness, likely because of its association with silver. If mercury enters a werewolf’s bloodstream, it’s often fatal. Mercury is also sometimes used to create weapons or traps for the werewolf.^{[7]
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Fire Fire isn’t often a primary weakness of werewolves, but it has long been used in literature and folklore to ward off all kinds of monsters. Bermudez agrees, saying fire is considered a “purifying force against dark creatures” like werewolves.^{[8]
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Expert Source

Sydney Bermudez
Urban Legends Expert

Expert Interview} Some stories depict werewolves as being afraid of fire, and some suggest that setting a werewolf on fire can kill it.
- Like all werewolf weaknesses, this is up to the individual lore of the story. For instance, some stories state that werewolves are actually immune to fire. If you’re writing a story of your own, it’s up to you to decide your werewolf’s weaknesses and strengths.
- As a more modern alternative, some stories say that werewolves are weakened by electricity.
According to Bermudez, holy water or sacred weapons can deal the final blow to werewolves in some folk tales.^{[9]
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Expert Source

Sydney Bermudez
Urban Legends Expert

Expert Interview} This may be due to the fact that lycanthropy is sometimes associated with Satan or the unholy. In these legends, it may be possible to kill werewolves with holy artifacts and religious symbols, such as holy water, crosses, or weapons blessed by a religious leader. An exorcism may also work.^{[10]
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In modern tales, vampires and werewolves are often pitted as mortal enemies. If a story includes vampires, their bite may be toxic and fatal to werewolves (or vice versa), as the two creatures often have natural defenses against each other.
Many supernatural creatures are depicted as being afraid of or unable to cross running water, likely because water is frequently associated with purification.^{[11]
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Research source} While this isn’t a common weakness for werewolves, some stories say you can kill them by drowning them in running water, as this will “cleanse” them of the curse of lycanthropy.

Section 2 of 5:

Can you kill a werewolf in human form?

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Yes, it’s often easier to kill a werewolf in their human form. In a lot of werewolf media, not only is it possible to kill them in their human form, but it’s much easier than killing them in their wolf form. Typically, when werewolves are in their human form, they can be killed the same ways a normal human can—you don’t need special tools or equipment.
- This all depends on the lore, however. Some stories may depict werewolves who possess supernatural strength or abilities even when human.

Section 3 of 5:

How to Cure a Werewolf

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“In certain myths, destroying the ‘sire’ werewolf,” which is “the one who passed on the curse,” explains Bermudez, “can free those infected.”^{[12]
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Expert Source

Sydney Bermudez
Urban Legends Expert

Expert Interview} This may only be true in stories where people become werewolves by being bitten by another werewolf.^{[13]
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Research source} Similarly, if the werewolf was cursed by a witch or a person, killing that person can also cure them of their lycanthropy.
According to some legends, it’s possible to cure a werewolf by addressing them by their Christian (first) name 3 times. This reminds the werewolf of its human nature and helps break the spell they’re under.^{[14]
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According to Bermudez, “cures vary widely across cultures.” She says, “Some tales describe rituals, potions, or blessings performed by priests or shamans” that can break the curse and stop the person from turning ever again.^{[15]
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Expert Source

Sydney Bermudez
Urban Legends Expert

Expert Interview} For instance, a wolfsbane potion made by a religious leader may cure the person of their lycanthropy.
Bermudez says other legends “lean into symbolic or emotional cures, such as true love breaking the curse.”^{[16]
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Sydney Bermudez
Urban Legends Expert

Expert Interview} For example, a kiss from the werewolf’s true love (while they’re in human form) can be an effective cure—this is a pretty popular way to break curses in other folk stories and fairy tales.
Wolfsbane may be a werewolf’s weakness in some stories, but in others, it can actually be used to cure lycanthropy.^{[17]
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Research source} For instance, in Harry Potter, werewolves are given a wolfsbane potion to alleviate their symptoms.
In some legends, people become werewolves because they wear a magical item, like a wolf pelt or a cursed ring.^{[18]
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Research source} The werewolves in these stories are cursed to remain werewolves until they manage to remove whatever item turned them.
Many folktales claim that iron can repel all sorts of supernatural creatures, like fairies, witches, and ghosts. And in some cases, it can even cure werewolves. Some stories say that iron can harm werewolves, but if you throw a piece over their heads, it will actually cure them.^{[19]
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This isn’t a cure in the traditional sense, but in many werewolf stories, the only way to “cure” lycanthropy is to kill the werewolf, typically with silver. When the werewolf dies, their body will revert to their human form.

Section 4 of 5:

How to Protect Yourself from Werewolves

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In many legends, silver is a werewolf’s biggest weakness.^{[20]
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Research source} So, Bermudez says wearing or carrying silver charms or jewelry is considered an effective way to repel werewolves.^{[21]
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Expert Source

Sydney Bermudez
Urban Legends Expert

Expert Interview} For extra protection, it might be helpful to carry a silver weapon (like silver bullets or a silver stake) and wear silver armor, especially over your vital organs.
Some superstitions claim that plants like rye and mistletoe will ward off werewolves. To protect your home, hang these plants above your entryways or plant them nearby. Running into a field of rye may also protect you if you encounter a werewolf somewhere else.^{[22]
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According to Bermudez, many legends mention carrying wolfsbane (also known as aconite) to repel werewolves.^{[23]
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Sydney Bermudez
Urban Legends Expert

Expert Interview} So, either carry wolfsbane with you in the form of a charm, or plant it around your home for protection.^{[24]
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Most legends claim that werewolves take on their wolf form during the full moon. This is when their animalistic behaviors take over, and they’re more likely to attack. So, if you don’t want to run into a werewolf, Bermudez says many legends agree that it’s best to stay inside and surround yourself with lots of people during the full moon.^{[25]
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Sydney Bermudez
Urban Legends Expert

Expert Interview}
Bermudez explains that “some stories…emphasize group safety,” as “werewolves were thought to stalk solitary travelers.” So, she says, “strength in numbers was key” to protect oneself against werewolves. If you plan on taking a trip or simply want to go for a stroll, take a few buddies and stick to well-populated areas.^{[26]
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Expert Source

Sydney Bermudez
Urban Legends Expert

Expert Interview}

Section 5 of 5:

Killing Werewolves in Popular Media

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The Witcher In The Witcher video game series, werewolves often appear as boss enemies for quests, so they tend to be powerful opponents. In The Witcher 3, for example, equip Dancing Stars and Cursed Oil to deal extra damage. Use melee attacks and dodge to avoid the werewolf’s attacks.^{[27]
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Underworld In the Underworld movies, werewolves are immortal beings that possess keen senses of smell, hearing, and sight, and are known to be far stronger than vampires. In this series, silver is fatal to werewolves if it penetrates their internal organs. Characters also use silver nitrate bullets to inject silver directly into a werewolf’s bloodstream.^{[28]
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The Elder Scrolls In the Elder Scrolls video games, werewolves can be friends or foes (and you can even become a werewolf yourself).^{[29]
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Research source} Werewolves have high health and damage resistance and can deliver powerful attacks. To defeat them, use silver weapons and poison attacks, and try to wear out their stamina.
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The Vampire Diaries In the hit TV show The Vampire Diaries, werewolves are vampires’ most dangerous enemy because their bite is lethal to vampires. These werewolves possess supernatural strength, even in their human form. In this series, werewolves are immune to silver, but are weakened by wolfsbane. They can be killed by extreme trauma (such as decapitation, extreme blood loss, fire, suffocation, and heart extraction), and they can die from old age.^{[30]
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