DOCKER(1) Docker User Manuals DOCKER(1)

# [NAME](#NAME)

docker-container-kill - Kill one or more running containers

# [SYNOPSIS](#SYNOPSIS)

**docker container kill \[OPTIONS] CONTAINER \[CONTAINER...]**

# [DESCRIPTION](#DESCRIPTION)

The **docker kill** subcommand kills one or more containers. The main process inside the container is sent **SIGKILL** signal (default), or the signal that is specified with the **--signal** option. You can reference a container by its ID, ID-prefix, or name.

The **--signal** flag sets the system call signal that is sent to the container. This signal can be a signal name in the format **SIG<NAME>**, for instance **SIGINT**, or an unsigned number that matches a position in the kernel's syscall table, for instance **2**.

While the default (**SIGKILL**) signal will terminate the container, the signal set through **--signal** may be non-terminal, depending on the container's main process. For example, the **SIGHUP** signal in most cases will be non-terminal, and the container will continue running after receiving the signal.

**Note**

**ENTRYPOINT** and **CMD** in the *shell* form run as a child process of **/bin/sh -c**, which does not pass signals. This means that the executable is not the container’s PID 1 and does not receive Unix signals.

# [OPTIONS](#OPTIONS)

**-s**, **--signal**="" Signal to send to the container

# [SEE ALSO](#SEE_ALSO)

[**docker-container(1)**](/man/os/docker-cli/docker-container.1)

Sep 2026 Docker Community

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Document: docker-container-kill(1) from docker-cli 29.8.2-r0 (Chainguard OS)
Source: https://github.com/docker/cli