1
as in oppressive
difficult to endure
the murderous heat of the desert
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2
as in difficult
requiring considerable physical or mental effort
those exams were murderous
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3
as in lethal
likely to cause or capable of causing death
braved murderous machine-gun fire to capture the hill from the enemy
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4
as in murdering
eager for or marked by the shedding of blood, extreme violence, or killing
Viking warriors became legendary for the murderous fury they displayed in battle
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of murderous
Further, human members of those communities often are hostile towards outsiders and become violent, even murderous, when newcomers arrive.
—
Grrlscientist, Forbes.com, 11 May 2025
Just north of Magic Mountain’s roller coasters, hidden within the vast, anonymous industrial parks of Valencia, lies the secret lab where the murderous doll M3GAN was born.
—Joshua Rothkopf, Los Angeles Times, 14 May 2025
Newcastle United’s Italian midfielder is scorching forward at a murderous pace, his intent so malicious that Lavia hesitates — and that hesitation is enough.
—George Caulkin, New York Times, 12 May 2025
In the first film in the Firefly trilogy, 2003’s House of 1000 Corpses, the depths of Spaulding’s depravity and his connection to the murderous Firefly clan aren’t fully clear.
—Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 9 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for murderous
Grrlscientist, Forbes.com, 11 May 2025
Just north of Magic Mountain’s roller coasters, hidden within the vast, anonymous industrial parks of Valencia, lies the secret lab where the murderous doll M3GAN was born.
—Joshua Rothkopf, Los Angeles Times, 14 May 2025
Newcastle United’s Italian midfielder is scorching forward at a murderous pace, his intent so malicious that Lavia hesitates — and that hesitation is enough.
—George Caulkin, New York Times, 12 May 2025
In the first film in the Firefly trilogy, 2003’s House of 1000 Corpses, the depths of Spaulding’s depravity and his connection to the murderous Firefly clan aren’t fully clear.
—Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 9 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for murderous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for murderous
Adjective
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More than 60 years ago, my parents fled Cuba for the United States, seeking freedom from an oppressive regime that dictated what businesses produced and how products were priced.—
Carlos Cubelo,
The Orlando Sentinel,
5 June 2025
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The film follows a 40-year-old widowed nurse named Mahnaz, who is struggling with a rebellious son and other complications in a heavily oppressive patriarchal context.—
Nick Vivarelli,
Variety,
22 May 2025
Adjective
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No matter how sweet, the little crocodile grows bigger and more difficult to care for.—
Leo Barraclough,
Variety,
10 June 2025
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Despite her risky gambit, Metcalfe, who is studying to be an attorney at the University of Law in Manchester, England, admits that her sport has helped her through some of the most difficult times of her life.—
Andy Frye,
Forbes.com,
10 June 2025
Adjective
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Stephen Stanko’s attorneys told him that lethal injection would feel like drowning when a lethal dose of pentobarbital is injected into the inmate’s veins and there’s a rush of fluid into the lungs.—
Brie Stimson,
FOXNews.com,
30 May 2025
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However, in the days to come, zoo officials faced mounting criticism for not trying to tranquilize the 17-year-old Western lowland silverback before using lethal force.—
Jillian Frankel,
People.com,
28 May 2025
Adjective
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Of the treaty’s three American signers—John Adams, John Jay and Benjamin Franklin—Franklin was said to have taken the harshest line against the loyalists.—
Greg Daugherty,
Smithsonian Magazine,
4 June 2025
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Netflix released the trailer for the reality TV show on YouTube on Wednesday, which starts with a voice-over of a cheerleader talking about how the DCC will always be in each other’s lives before explaining the harsh reality of trying out to be a Cowboys cheerleader with all the talent.—
Lawrence Dow,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
4 June 2025
Adjective
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Predicting how technology will change our relationship with terminology is challenging, but the need for precise scientific language, including the names of species, will never go away.—
Nicholas Green,
The Conversation,
3 June 2025
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Read more upvotes Comment View 417 comments Dr. Melanie McCabe told Newsweek that the postpartum period can be both joyful and deeply challenging.—
Darlin Tillery,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 June 2025
Adjective
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On May 29, Russia launched a series of deadly attacks across Ukraine, killing at least seven civilians.—
Katya Soldak,
Forbes.com,
31 May 2025
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Rock jetties can be deadly in such conditions, stay off the rocks.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
31 May 2025
Adjective
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After watching in terror as a man violently attacked a police officer in an El Cajon fast-food restaurant, Iesha Booker checked for a pulse on the bloody, unconscious officer and yelled into the radio on his belt.—
Karen Kucher,
sandiegouniontribune.com,
19 July 2017
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Photos of the man in a hospital bed with a bloody mouth were also posted.—
Jonece Starr Dunigan,
AL.com,
14 July 2017
Adjective
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His breakthrough role proved to be a history-making one too, securing the part of David, aka Tsotsi, in Gavin Hood’s searing 2005 crime drama Tsotsi.—
Abid Rahman,
HollywoodReporter,
27 May 2025
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And of all the heartbreak Indiana has caused Knicks fans over the years, this might be the most searing.—
Sean Gregory,
Time,
22 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Murderous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/murderous. Accessed 14 Jun. 2025.
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