murder 1 of 2

noun

ˈmər-dər How to pronounce murder (audio)
Definition of murdernext
1
as in nightmare
a situation or state that causes great suffering and unhappiness this weather is murder on my sinuses

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in homicide
the intentional and unlawful taking of another person's life arrested for attempting to commit murder

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murder

2 of 2

verb

1
as in to assassinate
to put to death deliberately those people made me so mad I felt like I wanted to murder them

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to fumble
to make or do (something) in a clumsy or unskillful way we listened in horror as she murdered our favorite song on stage

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word murder distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of murder are assassinate, dispatch, execute, kill, and slay. While all these words mean "to deprive of life," murder specifically implies stealth and motive and premeditation and therefore full moral responsibility.

convicted of murdering a rival

When could assassinate be used to replace murder?

Although the words assassinate and murder have much in common, assassinate applies to deliberate killing openly or secretly often for political motives.

terrorists assassinated the Senator

When might dispatch be a better fit than murder?

The words dispatch and murder can be used in similar contexts, but dispatch stresses quickness and directness in putting to death.

dispatched the sentry with one bullet

Where would execute be a reasonable alternative to murder?

In some situations, the words execute and murder are roughly equivalent. However, execute stresses putting to death as a legal penalty.

executed by lethal gas

When would kill be a good substitute for murder?

While in some cases nearly identical to murder, kill merely states the fact of death caused by an agency in any manner.

killed in an accident
frost killed the plants

When is it sensible to use slay instead of murder?

While the synonyms slay and murder are close in meaning, slay is a chiefly literary term implying deliberateness and violence but not necessarily motive.

slew thousands of the Philistines

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 murder
Noun
Nick has pleaded not guilty to two counts of murder with special circumstances. — Raechal Shewfelt, Entertainment Weekly, 1 Sep. 2026 The teen is now suspected of murder and authorities are searching for her and her father, who is suspected of several felony violations. — Iris Kwok, Los Angeles Times, 1 Sep. 2026
Verb
Gordon was arraigned on one charge of first-degree murder, three counts of assault with intent to murder and four counts of carrying a felony firearm in 36th District Court before Magistrate William Burton on Saturday. — Natalie Davies, Freep.com, 29 Aug. 2026 The jury is continuing to deliberate in the trial of Lindsay Clancy, the former labor and delivery nurse charged with murdering her three children, 5-year-old Cora, 3-year-old Dawson, and 8-month-old Callan. — Forbestv, Forbes.com, 28 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for murder
Recent Examples of Synonyms for murder
  1. nightmare
  2. homicide
  3. assassinate
  4. fumble
  5. torture
  6. slaying
  7. slay
  8. blow
Noun
  • An episode of septicemia, with its hells and paradises, its nightmares and hallucinations, transforms Borges into a story writer.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Of all the nightmare scenarios running, none of them involved the concept of ‘rest defence’.
    — Jon Mackenzie, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of nightmare
Noun
  • Troopers from the New Jersey State Police Marine Bureau arrested Kevin Wells, 40, of Warren, New Jersey, on Friday, charging him with vehicular homicide and two counts of assault by vessel while intoxicated.
    — Greg Wehner, FOXNews.com, 1 Sep. 2026
  • The 10-episode drama stars Liev Schreiber as Jonah Lynn, a former soldier turned homicide detective who moves to a small town in western Pennsylvania after working the tough streets of Philadelphia.
    — Maira Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of homicide
Verb
  • Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused Iran of attempting to assassinate one of his sons on Monday.
    — Anders Hagstrom, FOXNews.com, 24 Aug. 2026
  • Among them is the son of Fred Hampton, a senior leader of the Black Panther Party who was assassinated by the FBI in 1969, at the age of 21.
    — Matthew Carey, Deadline, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of assassinate
Verb
  • On his second drive, Tagovailoa fumbled the snap from center and the Dolphins recovered.
    — Armando Salguero OutKick, FOXNews.com, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Centennial fumbled on its first possession to set up Petero’s two-yard touchdown run.
    — Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of fumble
Noun
  • The lawsuit claims that Quero Silva, as the top military authority in Barquisimeto, a city in central-western Venezuela, oversaw their torture in the headquarters of the National Guard in the region.
    — Syra Ortiz Blanes, Miami Herald, 27 Aug. 2026
  • However, Pearl Fernandez and Isauro Aguirre were ultimately responsible for the torture and murder of Gabriel and were prosecuted for that, and they were convicted of that.
    — Michael Ruiz, FOXNews.com, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of torture
Noun
  • Charges were unsealed last week against one shooter in a deadly Gary gas station slaying, records show.
    — Meredith Colias-Pete, Chicago Tribune, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Jake Reiner opens up about his parents’ slaying and his brother’s arrest.
    — Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of slaying
Verb
  • For the same price, fans can purchase a Sean Taylor T-Shirt with the likeness of the former safety in his Redskins uniform before he was tragically slain in 2007.
    — Armando Salguero OutKick, FOXNews.com, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Amber Gates, the mother of slain inmate Charles Gates, 27, alleges CoreCivic employees failed in their duty to keep prisoners safe.
    — Shelly Bradbury, Denver Post, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of slay
Verb
  • It’s been a decade since the company best known for sucking up hair balls and dust bunnies blew with great force into the beauty business.
    — Jenny Bailly, Allure, 1 Sep. 2026
  • The Las Vegas spectacle, which opened to the public in August 2025, already blows audiences around with tornado-force wind, shakes them with haptic seats, sends giant winged monkeys flying overhead and drops hundreds of foam apples from the ceiling.
    — Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of blow

Browse Nearby Words

murals
murder
murdered
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Cite this Entry

“Murder.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/murder. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on murder

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about murder

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