KILLER Synonyms: 201 Similar and Opposite Words

killer 1 of 2

noun

ˈki-lər

Definition of killer

as in headache

a dull, unpleasant, or difficult piece of work weeding out that overgrown garden is going to be a killer

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in murderer

a person who kills another person gunned down by hired killers

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killer

2 of 2

adjective

as in lethal

likely to cause or capable of causing death killer viruses that claimed millions of lives

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as in difficult

requiring considerable physical or mental effort a killer exercise program guaranteed to whip you into shape

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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 killer

Noun

Stick around for rap duo Clipse, who always perform a killer set. — Britt Julious, Chicago Tribune, 26 July 2026 Cuddly serial killer comic book Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees is heading into its final bloody act. — Borys Kit, HollywoodReporter, 25 July 2026 Rodney Alcala, who would later become known as a serial killer, was also on the show—and was picked over the two other bachelors. — Laura Payne, Encyclopedia Britannica, 24 July 2026 As viewers remember, Voit was initially a ruthless serial killer who was captured in season 17. — Caroline Blair, PEOPLE, 24 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for killer

Recent Examples of Synonyms for killer

Noun

The fever and the less intense strain often presents as a headache, fever, muscle and joint aches, nausea, and fatigue.

— Mary Ella Hastings July 24, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 July 2026
For some its allergies or other upper respiratory issues; for others too much of an aroma causes a headache or worse.

— R. Eric Thomas, Denver Post, 24 July 2026

Definition of headache

Noun

At his funeral back in Chicago, the boy’s mother, Mamie Till, insisted on an open casket so all the world could see what racist murderers had done to her only son.

— Leonard Greene, New York Daily News, 25 July 2026
Over the past four seasons, Voit has gone from being a brutal murderer to a key informant for the FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit.

— Hedy Phillips, PEOPLE, 23 July 2026

Definition of murderer

Adjective

The scheduling of two executions – both via lethal injection – in one day comes as Florida has accelerated its pace of executions, even as other states have abolished or paused the practice.

— Nicki Brown, CNN Money, 26 July 2026
Filing murder charges against people who provide lethal doses of fentanyl is relatively new in California.

— Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 25 July 2026

Definition of lethal

Adjective

Strickland said even getting equipment on the road during construction can be difficult for farmers.

— Maven Navarro, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 26 July 2026
While following the money may be difficult, there are other signs of the growing role of organized crime in politics.

— Mary Beth Sheridan, CNN Money, 25 July 2026

Definition of difficult

Noun

In his first job coaching a pro women’s team, Current coach Chris Armas is experiencing the ways in which a women’s squad rallies around families.

— PJ Green July 24, Kansas City Star, 24 July 2026
By the end of his studies, Salakhutdinov recalled, Yang turned down a job offer from a senior Apple executive who reported directly to Tim Cook.

— John Liu, CNN Money, 24 July 2026

Definition of job

Noun

By the time Cameron came up with the idea for The Terminator — about a robot assassin sent back in time to kill the mother of humanity’s unborn savior — Wisher was growing more interested in screenwriting.

— Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 21 July 2026
Their characters — a notorious assassin and a lawyer — race across Europe, balancing brutal fights and a messy, decades-long friendship.

— Emily Zemler, Los Angeles Times, 16 July 2026

Definition of assassin

Adjective

Now, the community is about to enter what could be the final chapter in the criminal cases stemming from the state’s deadliest school shooting.

— Alaa Elassar, CNN Money, 27 July 2026
The deadliest animal to have ever roamed the earth is not the great white shark, or snakes, or even rats that caused three great plagues in history, decimating the human population at the time.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 26 July 2026

Definition of deadly

Adjective

In April, DeepSeek rolled out previews of its latest V4 model, challenging OpenAI’s GPT and Google’s Gemini.

— ABC News, ABC News, 26 July 2026
As a business owner, Maloney says, the most rewarding and most challenging aspect of the job is making all the decisions and solving every problem.

— Claire Hall, Hartford Courant, 25 July 2026