assassinate

verb

as·​sas·​si·​nate ə-ˈsa-sə-ˌnāt 

assassinated; assassinating

transitive verb

1

: to murder (a usually prominent person) by sudden or secret attack often for political reasons

a plot to assassinate the governor

2

: to injure or destroy unexpectedly and treacherously

assassinate a man's character

assassinator

ə-ˈsa-sə-ˌnā-tər 

noun

Synonyms of assassinate

• murder
• slay
• execute
• kill

Choose the Right Synonym for assassinate

kill, slay, murder, assassinate, dispatch, execute mean to deprive of life.

kill merely states the fact of death caused by an agency in any manner.

killed in an accident

frost killed the plants

slay is a chiefly literary term implying deliberateness and violence but not necessarily motive.

slew thousands of the Philistines

murder specifically implies stealth and motive and premeditation and therefore full moral responsibility.

convicted of murdering a rival

assassinate applies to deliberate killing openly or secretly often for political motives.

terrorists assassinated the Senator

dispatch stresses quickness and directness in putting to death.

dispatched the sentry with one bullet

execute stresses putting to death as a legal penalty.

executed by lethal gas

Examples of assassinate in a Sentence

They discovered a secret plot to assassinate the governor.

President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in 1963.

Recent Examples on the Web

Its tree- and mausoleum-lined avenues are home to over 25,000 burial sites, including Felipe Carrillo Puerto (a progressive champion of human rights who was assassinated in 1924). — Nicole Kliest, Vogue, 4 Nov. 2026

In the newer episode, the older Darvin travels back in time to assassinate Kirk, plotting his revenge with a bomb implanted in an unfortunate tribble. — Richard Edwards, Space.com, 4 Nov. 2026

The United States and Israel assassinated Iran’s leadership, including the supreme leader and much of his family, yet the regime remains intact. — S. C. M. Paine, Foreign Affairs, 3 Nov. 2026

Nearly a year after Mayor Carlos Alberto Manzo was assassinated during Day of the Dead celebrations, his successor, Grecia Quiroz, travels Uruapan under round-the-clock armed protection. — Megan Janetsky, Los Angeles Times, 30 Oct. 2026

Word History

Etymology

see assassin

First Known Use

1600, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for assassinate

• abbreviate
• accelerate
• accommodate
• accumulate
• acuminate
• adjudicate
• adulterate
• affiliate
• agglomerate
• agglutinate
• alleviate
• amalgamate

Kids Definition

assassinate

verb

as·​sas·​si·​nate ə-ˈsas-ᵊn-ˌāt 

assassinated; assassinating

: to murder a usually important person by a surprise or secret attack

assassination

ə-ˌsas-ᵊn-ˈā-shən 

noun