murderous

adjective

mur·​der·​ous ˈmər-d(ə-)rəs How to pronounce murderous (audio)
1
a
: having the purpose or capability of murder
b
: characterized by or causing murder or bloodshed
2
: having the ability or power to overwhelm : devastating
murderous heat
murderously adverb
murderousness noun

Examples of murderous in a Sentence

I can't stand this murderous heat. The lead runner set a murderous pace.
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.
So, the whole thing just seems naive from people who’ve been oppressed by this murderous regime for 46 years. Fiction Non Fiction july 3, Literary Hub, 3 July 2025 But if a surprise pregnancy isn’t the moment for a young man to find moral purpose, surely a surprise pregnancy inside a murderous game of death should be, right? Patrick Brzeski, HollywoodReporter, 2 July 2025 Memphis, at present, ranks in the top five of America's most murderous cities. Marcus K. Dowling, The Tennessean, 2 July 2025 The exposition required by their oil-and-water dynamic means the film isn't as action-heavy as its sequels (with the exception of a rogue trio of murderous vampires, of course). Edward Segarra, USA Today, 1 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for murderous

Word History

First Known Use

1535, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of murderous was in 1535

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Cite this Entry

“Murderous.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/murderous. Accessed 10 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

murderous

adjective
mur·​der·​ous ˈmərd-(ə-)rəs How to pronounce murderous (audio)
1
: intending or capable of causing murder or bloodshed : deadly
murderous machine-gun fire
2
: very difficult to bear or withstand
a murderous glance
murderous heat
murderously adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on murderous

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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