1
as in headache
a dull, unpleasant, or difficult piece of work
weeding out that overgrown garden is going to be a killer
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in murderer
a person who kills another person
gunned down by hired killers
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
as in lethal
likely to cause or capable of causing death
killer viruses that claimed millions of lives
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in difficult
requiring considerable physical or mental effort
a killer exercise program guaranteed to whip you into shape
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of killer
David Faris, TheWeek, 6 May 2026
Did Richie just watch Trap and think to himself, Huh, that serial killer sure looks a lot like my ex-wife’s new husband?
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 5 May 2026
Tanaka had a shocking death in the final season, leading Magnum to hunt down his killer.
—Keith Langston, PEOPLE, 5 May 2026
Their alleged killer was Shamar Elkins, 31, their own father.
—Earl Smith, Time, 5 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for killer
Noun
In this season, the storyline of a grieving mother, Marie Holst (Sofie Grabol), and a new killer intersect, as Mark and Naia race to prevent more bodies from piling up.
—David Faris, TheWeek, 6 May 2026
Did Richie just watch Trap and think to himself, Huh, that serial killer sure looks a lot like my ex-wife’s new husband?
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 5 May 2026
Tanaka had a shocking death in the final season, leading Magnum to hunt down his killer.
—Keith Langston, PEOPLE, 5 May 2026
Their alleged killer was Shamar Elkins, 31, their own father.
—Earl Smith, Time, 5 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for killer
Recent Examples of Synonyms for killer
Noun
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Magic Mountain removed Revolution’s simple lap bars in 1992 and installed over-the-shoulder restraints — resulting in head-banging headaches for dismayed riders and making the coaster painfully unrideable.—
Brady MacDonald,
Oc Register,
4 May 2026
-
Some people dealing with the infection, called hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS), can have headaches, dizziness, chills and stomach problems.—
Evan Bush,
NBC news,
4 May 2026
Noun
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The comedy is instead more deadpan, with Rhys playing the flustered straight man against a (sometimes literal) murderer’s row of ensemble members and guest stars.—
Alison Herman,
Variety,
29 Apr. 2026
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And though the local history museum is nothing but artifacts of atrocities (old newspaper report of cannibalism, a murderer’s mask), only Wyck (Stephen Root, great as always) sees anything paranormal in it, and he’s generally written off as a drunk.—
Television Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Luminous yet lethal, Rudolph carries herself with enough conviction to make the reluctant royal daughter of the barbaric Shao Kahn (Martyn Ford) feel inherently consequential.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
6 May 2026
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Hantavirus infection can be lethal in up to 40% of cases.—
Brenda Goodman,
CNN Money,
6 May 2026
Adjective
-
The Aces scored 26 points off those giveaways, which made things even more difficult on the defense.—
Marisa Ingemi,
Los Angeles Times,
11 May 2026
-
Schiraldi oversaw a particularly difficult period on Rikers.—
Molly Fischer,
New Yorker,
11 May 2026
Noun
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His dad, inspired by Barker, recently quit his job as a psychiatric nurse practitioner to become a full-time screenwriter.—
Alex Barasch,
New Yorker,
11 May 2026
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The anchor was there to do a job and was being as professional as can be, and that wasn't necessarily reciprocated.—
Matt Reigle OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
10 May 2026
Noun
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Even more frightening is a judge apologizing to an assassin who risked the lives of 2,000 people while attempting to assassinate the president and his cabinet.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
8 May 2026
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In Disavowed, Marsden will play legendary CIA Case Officer Brad Griffin, who is abruptly fired in the middle of a global hunt for an elusive assassin responsible for killing his colleague.—
Nellie Andreeva,
Deadline,
6 May 2026
Adjective
-
Hantavirus is more common in Asia and Europe, where the strains that circulate are less deadly, with a case fatality rate that ranges from less than 1% to 15%.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
5 May 2026
-
Germany has been rocked by a string of deadly car ramming attacks in recent years.—
Billy Stockwell,
CNN Money,
4 May 2026
Adjective
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But as challenging as these cases can be, the I-Team found the fight for workers' comp when a firefighter is battling cancer can be even more complicated.—
Ginger Allen,
CBS News,
6 May 2026
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Corporations benefit from the best talent without having to hire them, which is challenging and expensive.—
Anis Uzzaman,
Fortune,
6 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Killer.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/killer. Accessed 11 May. 2026.
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