assassin

noun

ə-ˈsa-sᵊn How to pronounce assassin (audio)
Definition of assassinnext
as in murderer
a person who kills another person shot down by an unknown assassin

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of assassin Line of Fire Starring Peter Krause and Hope Davis, Line of Fire centers on a family of law enforcement officials on a mission to find an assassin. — Keith Langston, PEOPLE, 30 Aug. 2026 The would-be assassin was arrested by police and led investigators to two members of a Russian mob network who had enlisted him on behalf of Iran. — Cora Engelbrecht, New Yorker, 24 Aug. 2026 Later, an assassin posing as River arrives at the home of David Cartwright (River’s grandfather) to kill him but is shot by David instead. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 17 Aug. 2026 Meanwhile, Clive Owen and other assassins pursue them through the streets of Europe. — Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 14 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for assassin
Recent Examples of Synonyms for assassin
  1. murderer
  2. killer
Noun
  • Austin Metcalf's father is speaking out for the first time after a judge denied denied his son's murderer -- Karmelo Anthony -- a request for a new trial for the fatal stabbing at a Texas high school track meet.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Buzzkill centers on a group of sorority sisters who end up trapped with a murderer.
    — Ryan Gajewski, HollywoodReporter, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of murderer
Noun
  • Furious, a thriller about a female FBI agent tracking a female serial killer loosely inspired by the 1987 movie Black Widow, was not the most obvious next step for her.
    — Joy Press, Vanity Fair, 31 Aug. 2026
  • The biggest bear killers by far in Central Florida are motor vehicles, blamed for killing 1,545 bears in the region in the past 10 years, including 219 in 2025, the most since 2021 when 242 bears died on the region’s roadways.
    — Stephen Hudak, The Orlando Sentinel, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of killer

Browse Nearby Words

assails
assassin
assassinate
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Assassin.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/assassin. Accessed 3 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on assassin

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about assassin

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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