assassination
noun
as·sas·si·na·tion
ə-ˌsa-sə-ˈnā-shən 
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
The New York Times2
: treacherous destruction of a person's reputation
character assassination
Examples of assassination in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Trump assassination attempt trial starts Monday.
—Christopher Cann, USA Today, 8 Sep. 2025
After Abe’s assassination in 2022 by a suspect who said he was motivated by a grudge against the church, an internal survey in the LDP later found that nearly half of the party’s members had links to it.
—Chad De Guzman, Time, 8 Sep. 2025
Israeli strikes severely weakened Hezbollah – culminating in the assassination of its revered leader, Hassan Nasrallah – and significantly curtailed the group’s domestic clout.
—Mostafa Salem, CNN Money, 5 Sep. 2025
The first woman to lead a Guatemalan law enforcement institution was arrested in 2009 for her involvement in extra-judicial assassinations.
—Matthew Wills, JSTOR Daily, 4 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for assassination
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Christopher Cann, USA Today, 8 Sep. 2025
After Abe’s assassination in 2022 by a suspect who said he was motivated by a grudge against the church, an internal survey in the LDP later found that nearly half of the party’s members had links to it.
—Chad De Guzman, Time, 8 Sep. 2025
Israeli strikes severely weakened Hezbollah – culminating in the assassination of its revered leader, Hassan Nasrallah – and significantly curtailed the group’s domestic clout.
—Mostafa Salem, CNN Money, 5 Sep. 2025
The first woman to lead a Guatemalan law enforcement institution was arrested in 2009 for her involvement in extra-judicial assassinations.
—Matthew Wills, JSTOR Daily, 4 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for assassination
Cite this Entry
“Assassination.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/assassination. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
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