KILLER Synonyms: 201 Similar and Opposite Words

killer 1 of 2

noun

ˈki-lər

Definition of killer

as in headache

a dull, unpleasant, or difficult piece of work weeding out that overgrown garden is going to be a killer

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in murderer

a person who kills another person gunned down by hired killers

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killer

2 of 2

adjective

as in lethal

likely to cause or capable of causing death killer viruses that claimed millions of lives

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as in difficult

requiring considerable physical or mental effort a killer exercise program guaranteed to whip you into shape

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of killer

Noun

Sanft said Davis lied to make money -- and there is no concrete proof Davis was in the car with Shakur's killer or even in Sin City that night. — Sasha Pezenik, ABC News, 31 Aug. 2026 This is far from the first Netflix original serial killer tale, as most famously, Mindhunter is one of the best series on the service. — Paul Tassi, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026 Artwork throughout the space is serial killer themed, with newspaper clippings, caution tape and mugshots taped to the walls and columns. — Kansas City Star, 29 Aug. 2026 Honey Boy director Alma Har’el’s next project Wet is heading to the TIFF market with Patrick Wachsberger’s 193 and is attracting what could be a killer cast. — Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 29 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for killer

Recent Examples of Synonyms for killer

Noun

Tibbetts says the fires have already created plenty of logistics headaches.

— Anya Kamenetz, Curbed, 28 Aug. 2026
Caused by parasites spread via Anopheles mosquitoes, malaria can cause symptoms including nausea, headache and intense waves of fever and chills.

— CBS News, CBS News, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of headache

Noun

Austin Metcalf's father is speaking out for the first time after a judge denied denied his son's murderer -- Karmelo Anthony -- a request for a new trial for the fatal stabbing at a Texas high school track meet.

— ABC News, ABC News, 25 Aug. 2026
Buzzkill centers on a group of sorority sisters who end up trapped with a murderer.

— Ryan Gajewski, HollywoodReporter, 24 Aug. 2026

Definition of murderer

Adjective

Dozens of companies have withdrawn over the past decades due to poor profits, an uncertain business outlook and concerns about harm to their reputations from making arms, especially lethal weapons.

— Mia Osmonbekov, Fortune, 31 Aug. 2026
Airwars is the first to map the damage radius of the strikes in Lamerd and estimate the lethal range of the weapon used.

— Julia Frankel, Los Angeles Times, 31 Aug. 2026

Definition of lethal

Adjective

The losses linked to the demise of these groups are difficult to quantify, but participants and advocates say the impacts will reverberate across federal agencies for years.

— Katia Riddle, NPR, 29 Aug. 2026
Ground surveys can provide more detailed information at a particular site, but covering an entire subway corridor that way would be difficult.

— Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 29 Aug. 2026

Definition of difficult

Noun

The would-be assassin was arrested by police and led investigators to two members of a Russian mob network who had enlisted him on behalf of Iran.

— Cora Engelbrecht, New Yorker, 24 Aug. 2026
Bannerman centers on the eponymous Paul Bannerman, a lethal covert operative who convinces a group of the world’s most deadly assassins to quit the spy game for a chance to lead normal lives in the suburbs of Connecticut.

— Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 20 Aug. 2026

Definition of assassin

Adjective

The death toll from a Russian strike on a warehouse west of Kyiv, the war's deadliest attack so far this year, rose to 38 with four people still missing, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on social media Sunday.

— ABC News, ABC News, 30 Aug. 2026
Ukraine launched deadly strikes in recent months on the facilities of Russia’s biggest online retailer, Wildberries, saying the company sells dual-use goods that have aided the Kremlin’s war effort.

— Samya Kullab, Los Angeles Times, 30 Aug. 2026

Definition of deadly

Adjective

For the healthcare providers in attendance, the party — which featured games and activities for the kids — is a chance to see the real-life impact of their often emotionally challenging work.

— Toria Sheffield, PEOPLE, 29 Aug. 2026
Because of the challenging terrain, the bridges are designed to be constructed without heavy machinery.

— Fatma Tanis, NPR, 29 Aug. 2026