killer

1 of 2

noun

kill·​er ˈki-lər How to pronounce killer (audio)
Synonyms of killernext
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
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.
Noun
The lyrics went beyond Evers’ white-supremacist killer, indicting an entire system that brainwashed poor white Southerners into hatred. Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 1 Feb. 2026 Suzuki usually only goes out if one of the regular penalty-killers is in the box. Arpon Basu, New York Times, 1 Feb. 2026 Curry, the acclaimed actor known for his roles in The Rocky Horror Picture Show and It, played serial killer and rapist Billy Flynn in the fifth and sixth seasons of the show. Raven Brunner, PEOPLE, 31 Jan. 2026 In 2013, Skakel walked out of prison as a free man and later saw his conviction vacated in a move that further deepened the mystery of who Moxley’s true killer is. Julia Bonavita, FOXNews.com, 31 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for killer

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1939, in the meaning defined at sense 2

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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Killer.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/killer. Accessed 4 Feb. 2026.

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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