assassination

noun

as·​sas·​si·​na·​tion ə-ˌsa-sə-ˈnā-shən How to pronounce assassination (audio)
plural assassinations
1
: murder by sudden or secret attack often for political reasons : the act or an instance of assassinating someone (such as a prominent political leader)
the assassination of Abraham Lincoln
an assassination attempt
In medieval days, assassination by poisoning was common enough to alarm many a king, and protection was sought in the form of prayers, food tasters and science.The New York Times
2
: treacherous destruction of a person's reputation
character assassination

Examples of assassination in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The presidency has been vacant since the still-unsolved 2021 assassination of Jovenel Moïse; the National Assembly has been empty since the last lawmakers’ terms expired last year. Samantha Schmidt, Washington Post, 9 Mar. 2024 He was appointed, not elected, after the 2021 assassination of President Jovenel Moïse. Suzanne Nuyen, NPR, 8 Mar. 2024 Concerns over a surge in sea crossings — one of the most perilous paths an individual can take to migrate abroad – have persisted in the Biden administration ever since the assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moïse nearly three years ago. Michael Wilner, Miami Herald, 8 Mar. 2024 The conflict exploded into public view in September when Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau publicly accused the Indian government of orchestrating the assassination of a Sikh activist who three months earlier was shot dead outside his temple in suburban Vancouver. Jaweed Kaleem, Los Angeles Times, 8 Mar. 2024 However, after the assassination of Gemayel and the Sabra and Shatila massacres, the agreement was not implemented. Mireille Rebeiz, The Conversation, 7 Mar. 2024 Many of the inmates were gang members charged in connection with the 2021 assassination of Hatian President Jovenel Moise. Anders Hagstrom, Fox News, 3 Mar. 2024 The film begins after a subsequent assassination attempt in December, 1976 and before the Smile Jamaica concert. Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 26 Feb. 2024 One Love covers the dynamic between Marley, his backing band The Wailers and the musician’s family in the year immediately following an assassination attempt on his life. Mitchell Peters, Billboard, 24 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'assassination.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1610, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of assassination was in 1610

Dictionary Entries Near assassination

Cite this Entry

“Assassination.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/assassination. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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