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
Israel quickly responded with a wave of assassination strikes and bombardment of Hezbollah personnel and infrastructure.
—Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 26 Mar. 2026
On Tuesday, before challenging Martine Moïse’s testimony, Howard sought to show that his client, Arcángel Pretel Ortiz, had been in contact with both the FBI and his handler on the day of the presidential assassination.
—Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 25 Mar. 2026
Zolghadr is likely to rise toward the top of Israel's list of assassination targets, with the country seeking to decapitate Iran's leadership.
—Charlene Gubash, NBC news, 24 Mar. 2026
Four months after Evian, the assassination of a German diplomat in Paris by a Jewish youth whose family had just been expelled from Germany became the pretext for the Nazi pogrom known as Kristallnacht.
—George Packer, The Atlantic, 24 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for assassination
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Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 26 Mar. 2026
On Tuesday, before challenging Martine Moïse’s testimony, Howard sought to show that his client, Arcángel Pretel Ortiz, had been in contact with both the FBI and his handler on the day of the presidential assassination.
—Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 25 Mar. 2026
Zolghadr is likely to rise toward the top of Israel's list of assassination targets, with the country seeking to decapitate Iran's leadership.
—Charlene Gubash, NBC news, 24 Mar. 2026
Four months after Evian, the assassination of a German diplomat in Paris by a Jewish youth whose family had just been expelled from Germany became the pretext for the Nazi pogrom known as Kristallnacht.
—George Packer, The Atlantic, 24 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for assassination
Cite this Entry
“Assassination.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/assassination. Accessed 31 Mar. 2026.
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