1
as in oppressive
difficult to endure
the murderous heat of the desert
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in difficult
requiring considerable physical or mental effort
those exams were murderous
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in lethal
likely to cause or capable of causing death
braved murderous machine-gun fire to capture the hill from the enemy
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in murdering
eager for or marked by the shedding of blood, extreme violence, or killing
Viking warriors became legendary for the murderous fury they displayed in battle
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of murderous
In an extreme fashion, the murderous, bootlegger-hunting executive caricatures how streamers have introduced progressively tighter restrictions on online piracy and password-sharing while raising prices on as many features as possible.
—
Emma Stefansky, The Atlantic, 17 Apr. 2025
The song is about a man who doesn’t appear to be murderous being the ultimate killer.
—Alan Light, New York Times, 7 Apr. 2025
That discomfort makes sense, as Pap returns to earth to let Juicy know his death was by Rev’s murderous hands, and the only way to avenge him is to make Juicy’s own hands a killing weapon.
—David John Chávez, Mercury News, 4 Apr. 2025
Maxine Peake anchors the entire episode on a physical and emotional level, bringing an equal amount of resolve and terror to her character’s quest to evade a murderous robotic guard dog.
—Steve Greene, IndieWire, 12 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for murderous
Emma Stefansky, The Atlantic, 17 Apr. 2025
The song is about a man who doesn’t appear to be murderous being the ultimate killer.
—Alan Light, New York Times, 7 Apr. 2025
That discomfort makes sense, as Pap returns to earth to let Juicy know his death was by Rev’s murderous hands, and the only way to avenge him is to make Juicy’s own hands a killing weapon.
—David John Chávez, Mercury News, 4 Apr. 2025
Maxine Peake anchors the entire episode on a physical and emotional level, bringing an equal amount of resolve and terror to her character’s quest to evade a murderous robotic guard dog.
—Steve Greene, IndieWire, 12 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for murderous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for murderous
Adjective
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The Collector is also hoping these will satiate the growing wants of his oppressive overlord, The Forger (Roddy Ricch), who has mysterious motives of his own.—
Courtney Howard,
Variety,
17 Apr. 2025
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Joel, played by Pedro Pascal, a hardened survivor, is hired to smuggle Ellie (Bella Ramsey), a 14-year-old girl, out of an oppressive quarantine zone.—
Katie Campione,
Deadline,
14 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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The Whitecaps won games in Mexico, which is difficult to do.—
Michelle Kaufman,
Miami Herald,
24 Apr. 2025
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The transition can be extremely difficult for some.—
Scott Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
24 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Here’s what the bone analysis revealed about the man and how the researchers determined what was behind the lethal bite markings.—
Jackie Wattles,
CNN Money,
26 Apr. 2025
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James Osgood will be executed by lethal injection just after 6 p.m. Thursday at the William C. Holman Correctional Facility in Atmore, Alabama.—
Amanda Lee Myers,
USA Today,
25 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Hope reigns even in this harsh political climate we Americans are now experiencing.—
Bea L. Hines,
Miami Herald,
17 Apr. 2025
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Even if investors are slightly more confident this week, after Trump backed off most of his harshest tariff rates, the changes in people’s life-style habits serve as their own kind of affective barometer.—
Kyle Chayka,
New Yorker,
16 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Preserving that right to choose is what will help the Maryland economy flourish and grow during economically challenging times.—
Albert R. Wynn,
Baltimore Sun,
28 Apr. 2025
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This is likely due to high interest rates and a challenging inflationary environment.—
Trefis Team,
Forbes.com,
28 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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As tensions between India and Pakistan reach a boiling point following a deadly attack on tourists in Kashmir, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has publicly offered Tehran's assistance in mediating the crisis.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 Apr. 2025
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However, fewer than five minutes into Casten’s address, a protester with a megaphone stood up and shouted frustrations about U.S. military assistance to Israel in its deadly attacks on Gaza residents during their war with Hamas.—
Olivia Stevens,
Chicago Tribune,
25 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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After watching in terror as a man violently attacked a police officer in an El Cajon fast-food restaurant, Iesha Booker checked for a pulse on the bloody, unconscious officer and yelled into the radio on his belt.—
Karen Kucher,
sandiegouniontribune.com,
19 July 2017
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Photos of the man in a hospital bed with a bloody mouth were also posted.—
Jonece Starr Dunigan,
AL.com,
14 July 2017
Adjective
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Her viral speech in Minneapolis in 2020 remains one of the most searing indictments of state violence in recent memory.—
Sughnen Yongo,
Forbes.com,
10 Apr. 2025
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Image ‘Eric LaRue’ Directed by Michael Shannon, this searing drama centers on Janice (Judy Greer), who struggles to cope after her son commits a school shooting.—
The New York Times,
New York Times,
4 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Murderous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/murderous. Accessed 1 May. 2025.
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