killer

1 of 2

noun

kill·​er ˈki-lər How to pronounce killer (audio)
1
: one that kills
2
3
a
: one that has a forceful, violent, or striking impact
b
: one that is extremely difficult to deal with

killer

2 of 2

adjective

1
: strikingly impressive or effective
a killer smile
a killer résumé
2
: extremely difficult to deal with
a killer fastball
also : causing death or devastation
a killer tornado

Examples of killer in a Sentence

Noun Heart disease is the leading killer of both men and women. The chemical is used as a weed killer. Adjective killer viruses that claimed millions of lives a killer exercise program guaranteed to whip you into shape
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Spreading global conflict combined with financial incentives for companies to promote AI adds to the challenge of controlling killer robots, according to Jaan Tallinn, an early investor in Alphabet Inc.’s AI platform DeepMind Technologies. Jonathan Tirone, Fortune Europe, 30 Apr. 2024 The tech giant’s Prime Video streaming platform has ordered a second season of Cross, a drama starring Aldis Hodge and based on James Patterson’s best-selling novel series about a detective and forensic psychologist who delves into the minds of killers in order to catch them. Rick Porter, The Hollywood Reporter, 30 Apr. 2024 See all Example Sentences for killer 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'killer.' 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

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1951, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of killer was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near killer

Cite this Entry

“Killer.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/killer. Accessed 3 May. 2024.

Kids Definition

killer

1 of 2 noun
ˈkil-ər
1
: one that kills
2

killer

2 of 2 adjective
1
: strikingly impressive or effective
a killer smile
2
: extremely difficult
a killer exam
also : causing death or devastation
a killer tornado

More from Merriam-Webster on killer

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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