1
as in headaches
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
2
as in murderers
a person who kills another person
gunned down by hired killers
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of killers
Serial killers have played peek-a-boo guessing games with investigators, and the names and whereabouts of some of their victims are never to be known.
—
Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 21 Feb. 2026
Though supermassive black holes with masses of millions or even billions of times that of the sun are thought to dwell at the hearts of all large galaxies, not all of these objects are cosmic killers.
—Robert Lea, Space.com, 20 Feb. 2026
In 1924, a culvert near Wolf Lake was also used by the infamous killers Nathan Leopold and Richard Loeb to dispose of the body of their victim, 14-year-old Bobby Franks.
—Marissa Perlman, CBS News, 19 Feb. 2026
Terrorist killers on 9/11 triggered NATO for the first time to defend an ally under attack.
—Arthur I. Cyr, Chicago Tribune, 18 Feb. 2026
Inspectors found roaches in the restaurant and also noted the presence of roach killers not approved for use in food facilities.
—Lillie Davidson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 11 Feb. 2026
The Blackhawks think very highly of Mikheyev, who has emerged as one of the league’s very best penalty killers and a solid depth scorer, with 20 goals last season and is coming off a four-point night (one goal and three primary assists) in a 6-3 victory over the San Jose Sharks on Monday night.
—Scott Powers, New York Times, 4 Feb. 2026
The series features new prison interviews with both Adamcik and Draper, rare police interrogation footage, and explores the impact on Cassie’s family and the killers’ parents.
—Nicole Acosta, PEOPLE, 4 Feb. 2026
Central to the case is Ron Bishop, a fourteen-year-old boy questioned alone by white detective Donald Kincaid and pressured into identifying the Harlem Park Three as the killers.
—Beandrea July, IndieWire, 29 Jan. 2026
Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 21 Feb. 2026
Though supermassive black holes with masses of millions or even billions of times that of the sun are thought to dwell at the hearts of all large galaxies, not all of these objects are cosmic killers.
—Robert Lea, Space.com, 20 Feb. 2026
In 1924, a culvert near Wolf Lake was also used by the infamous killers Nathan Leopold and Richard Loeb to dispose of the body of their victim, 14-year-old Bobby Franks.
—Marissa Perlman, CBS News, 19 Feb. 2026
Terrorist killers on 9/11 triggered NATO for the first time to defend an ally under attack.
—Arthur I. Cyr, Chicago Tribune, 18 Feb. 2026
Inspectors found roaches in the restaurant and also noted the presence of roach killers not approved for use in food facilities.
—Lillie Davidson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 11 Feb. 2026
The Blackhawks think very highly of Mikheyev, who has emerged as one of the league’s very best penalty killers and a solid depth scorer, with 20 goals last season and is coming off a four-point night (one goal and three primary assists) in a 6-3 victory over the San Jose Sharks on Monday night.
—Scott Powers, New York Times, 4 Feb. 2026
The series features new prison interviews with both Adamcik and Draper, rare police interrogation footage, and explores the impact on Cassie’s family and the killers’ parents.
—Nicole Acosta, PEOPLE, 4 Feb. 2026
Central to the case is Ron Bishop, a fourteen-year-old boy questioned alone by white detective Donald Kincaid and pressured into identifying the Harlem Park Three as the killers.
—Beandrea July, IndieWire, 29 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for killers
Noun
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Major industry groups including the American Petroleum Institute have not fought to kill the federal endangerment finding, because a patchwork of state laws could ultimately replace it — leading to legal headaches and a raft of nuisance lawsuits against them, experts said.—
Ella Nilsen,
CNN Money,
24 Feb. 2026
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The philosopher’s epic struggles with headaches led in part to his belief that God was dead, and also to a belief that pain, both physical and emotional, was more generative than health.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
24 Feb. 2026
Noun
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In the original, Hanks’ character is driven to madness, imagining that his neighbors in the creepy house across the street might be murderers.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Feb. 2026
-
Rapists, murderers, and drug traffickers do not announce themselves or surrender voluntarily.—
Eric Balliet,
Denver Post,
28 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Lepore agreed that bringing in well-paying jobs should be a top priority.—
Michelle Mullins,
Chicago Tribune,
22 Feb. 2026
-
The president, dean and department head lost their jobs within days.—
Lily Kepner,
Austin American Statesman,
22 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
After diplomatic negotiations, the Iranian state called off its assassins in 1998.—
Anderson Cooper,
CBS News,
9 Feb. 2026
-
One week later, on May 15, assassins forced Valdez, 50, from his car at midday and shot him at least a dozen times in downtown Culiacán, the capital of Sinaloa state.—
Foreign Correspondent,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Killers.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/killers. Accessed 26 Feb. 2026.
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