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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 The would-be assassin in Butler positioned himself on a roof left unsecured, nicking the president’s ear with a bullet. — Jesse Bedayn, Los Angeles Times, 3 Sep. 2026 Making everyone a potential spy or assassin was only an expedient way to destroy institutions internally and externally through financial incentives. — Finn Brunton, Harpers Magazine, 1 Sep. 2026 Skirting bravely around the edges of space to seek solace, they’re hunted by the Operative (Chiwetel Ejiofor), a deadly Alliance assassin on a mission who seeks to recapture her. — Grace Dean, Space.com, 1 Sep. 2026 His reputation as the best interviewer-assassin at work today—maybe ever—precedes him. — Merve Emre, The New York Review of Books, 1 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for assassin
Recent Examples of Synonyms for assassin
  1. murderer
  2. killer
Noun
  • This season focuses on a woman and alleged murderer who is ultimately never found guilty of any crime.
    — Abbey White, HollywoodReporter, 17 Sep. 2026
  • The concert featured both solo sets from Osbourne and a reunion of the original Sabbath lineup for the first time in more than two decades, along with a murderer’s row of performers influenced by the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame icon.
    — Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 16 Sep. 2026
Definition of murderer
Noun
  • After the undisputed killers plead insanity, doctors for the left-wing prosecutor and the defense often back their claims, judges approve the pleas, and the acquittees submit to annual reviews assessing whether the state should release them.
    — Hudson Crozier, The Washington Examiner, 21 Sep. 2026
  • Soil compaction from construction work is another slow-moving tree killer.
    — Beth Botts, Chicago Tribune, 19 Sep. 2026
Definition of killer

Browse Nearby Words

assails
assassin
assassinate
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Cite this Entry

“Assassin.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/assassin. Accessed 22 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on assassin

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about assassin

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