1
as in funny
causing or intended to cause laughter
he's usually quiet, but occasionally unleashes some killing remark that cracks everyone up
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in challenging
requiring much time, effort, or careful attention
a killing schedule that requires the touring company to play in a different city every night
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
1
as in destroying
to deprive of life
during the war more soldiers were killed by disease than anything else
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in dismissing
to reject by or as if by a vote
the Senate killed the bill by a single vote
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in deleting
to show (something written) to be no longer valid by drawing a cross over or a line through it
I think that paragraph is irrelevant, so kill it
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in wearing
to use up all the physical energy of
the long hike up the mountain just about killed us
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in fascinating
to attract or delight as if by magic
with his dark good looks he would positively kill the ladies
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in braking
to cause to stop functioning
kill the engine before it overheats
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of killing
Howard Garrett, Dallas News, 26 July 2021
And Morgan put an end to his non-killing ways by chopping off the head of his bounty-hunting pursuer — stealing his axe and hat in the process.
—Dalton Ross, EW.com, 12 Oct. 2020
Monty Davis, Kansas City Star, 8 Jan. 2026
And now this- a senseless killing of an American by ICE.
—Julianna Duennes Russ, Austin American Statesman, 8 Jan. 2026
Jake Goodrick, Sacbee.com, 9 Jan. 2026
No Housewives have been murdered yet, so killing Caroline would take some potential heat off of Lisa and Candiace.
—Tom Smyth, Vulture, 9 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for killing
Adjective
For the few pests that do show up, first spray with non-killing repellents such as garlic and garlic pepper tea.
—Howard Garrett, Dallas News, 26 July 2021
And Morgan put an end to his non-killing ways by chopping off the head of his bounty-hunting pursuer — stealing his axe and hat in the process.
—Dalton Ross, EW.com, 12 Oct. 2020
Noun
The deadly shooting has sparked national outrage, as video of the killing has spread across social media.
—Monty Davis, Kansas City Star, 8 Jan. 2026
And now this- a senseless killing of an American by ICE.
—Julianna Duennes Russ, Austin American Statesman, 8 Jan. 2026
Verb
Daniel Trumm simultaneously exchanged a barrage of gunfire with Oliver inside the home, killing the low-level drug-trafficking suspect.
—Jake Goodrick, Sacbee.com, 9 Jan. 2026
No Housewives have been murdered yet, so killing Caroline would take some potential heat off of Lisa and Candiace.
—Tom Smyth, Vulture, 9 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for killing
Recent Examples of Synonyms for killing
Adjective
-
To the contrary, though the film is frequently funny, Brewer takes their ambitions and reversals seriously.—
Peter Tonguette,
The Washington Examiner,
9 Jan. 2026
-
Hockey is a funny game sometimes.—
Corey Masisak,
Denver Post,
9 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
But last month, Critchfield backed off in the face of a challenging state budget.—
Becca Savransky,
Idaho Statesman,
8 Jan. 2026
-
Depending on where in the country your family lives, winter can be a challenging time for kids who are cooped up inside amid the chillier weather.—
Mia Taylor,
Parents,
7 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Waiting until spring to do your pruning and garden cleanup ensures that these beneficial insects have a place to shelter during the colder months.—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
11 Jan. 2026
-
But as the game wore on, spectators realized that Castro had disguised some young professional players as bearded, older men to play cleanup in the final innings.—
Vivian Salama,
The Atlantic,
11 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The number of killings investigated last year fell to 67, with 57 of those categorized as murders — excluding cases such as justifiable homicides — a total not seen since 1967, according to data compiled by this news organization.—
Shomik Mukherjee,
Mercury News,
8 Jan. 2026
-
Jackson, who famously won an acquittal in the murder trial of Karen Read and represented disgraced film mogul Harvey Weinstein, did not explain his decision to withdraw from the case.—
Matt Gutman,
CBS News,
8 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
By the 1960s, gas flares and untreated waste spillage were destroying their forests.—
Stanley Stewart,
Travel + Leisure,
10 Jan. 2026
-
And there is a risk of the parasites becoming dormant for years before reactivating and destroying a new cornea.—
Kristen Rogers,
CNN Money,
10 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Confidence can tip into defensiveness, so your challenge has a lot to do with asserting boundaries without emotional withdrawal and honoring your needs without dismissing others.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
5 Jan. 2026
-
The president spoke little about democracy in Venezuela, dismissing a potential role for its longstanding democratic opposition in running the country in the immediate aftermath of the operation.—
Kate Linthicum,
Los Angeles Times,
3 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
This immediately stops it from running without deleting it.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
5 Jan. 2026
-
At the same time, less than half of the Australian public believes the ban will be effective—and, according to a recent poll published in the Sydney Morning Herald, fewer than a third of parents plan to enforce the ban in their households, by deleting the relevant apps off their children’s phones.—
Jay Caspian Kang,
New Yorker,
23 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
Some people even shared old photos of Indigenous peoples wearing the hoods, noting that the originators of the design kept the fur outward to break cold wind and trap snow.—
Rachel Raposas,
PEOPLE,
9 Jan. 2026
-
Chavez posted a photo of Gregory Bovino walking down 33rd Street and Portland Avenue, flanked by three agents wearing masks.—
WCCO Staff,
CBS News,
9 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Killing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/killing. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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