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
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
Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 8 Oct. 2025
The movie strives to apply logic, inviting laughs (which are not unwelcome in the tense genre), but ultimately succeeds by devising a formula where two threats — ghosts and serial killers — come calling.
—Peter Debruge, Variety, 8 Oct. 2025
Instead, this plot point seems to be a way for the Monster creators to flip the story of The Silence of the Lambs, in which serial killer Hannibal Lecter helps the FBI find another killer, Buffalo Bill — who was inspired by none other than Ed Gein.
—Elizabeth Yuko, Rolling Stone, 8 Oct. 2025
In the final episode, the serial killer is diagnosed with stage four lung cancer.
—Christopher Rudolph, PEOPLE, 8 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for killer
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Noun
Happy Anderson reprises his Mindhunter role as serial killer Jerry Brudos on Monster.
—Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 8 Oct. 2025
The movie strives to apply logic, inviting laughs (which are not unwelcome in the tense genre), but ultimately succeeds by devising a formula where two threats — ghosts and serial killers — come calling.
—Peter Debruge, Variety, 8 Oct. 2025
Instead, this plot point seems to be a way for the Monster creators to flip the story of The Silence of the Lambs, in which serial killer Hannibal Lecter helps the FBI find another killer, Buffalo Bill — who was inspired by none other than Ed Gein.
—Elizabeth Yuko, Rolling Stone, 8 Oct. 2025
In the final episode, the serial killer is diagnosed with stage four lung cancer.
—Christopher Rudolph, PEOPLE, 8 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for killer
Cite this Entry
“Killer.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/killer. Accessed 10 Oct. 2025.
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