1
as in oppressive
difficult to endure
the murderous heat of the desert
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in difficult
requiring considerable physical or mental effort
those exams were murderous
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of murderous
Paula is on a path by the end of the second episode where there is a murderous person following her who has some abstract clues.
—
Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 20 May 2026
At the opening of his trial, prosecution lawyer Rashid Rashid described Kabuga as an enthusiastic supporter of the Tutsi slaughter who armed, trained and encouraged murderous Hutu militias known as Interahamwe.
—ABC News, 16 May 2026
The franchise originally began with the 1974 horror classic The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, created by Tobe Hooper and Kim Henkel and starring Gunnar Hansen as the murderous Leatherface.
—Glenn Garner, Deadline, 2 May 2026
His main antagonist is Jimmy (Harry Goodwins), a white supremacist who is the sheriff’s son and the leader of the murderous gang.
—Los Angeles Times, 1 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for murderous
Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 20 May 2026
At the opening of his trial, prosecution lawyer Rashid Rashid described Kabuga as an enthusiastic supporter of the Tutsi slaughter who armed, trained and encouraged murderous Hutu militias known as Interahamwe.
—ABC News, 16 May 2026
The franchise originally began with the 1974 horror classic The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, created by Tobe Hooper and Kim Henkel and starring Gunnar Hansen as the murderous Leatherface.
—Glenn Garner, Deadline, 2 May 2026
His main antagonist is Jimmy (Harry Goodwins), a white supremacist who is the sheriff’s son and the leader of the murderous gang.
—Los Angeles Times, 1 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for murderous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for murderous
Adjective
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High heat, oppressive humidity and a few thunderstorms are all in the weather forecast for the Boston area through Friday evening, so the WBZ-TV Weather Team has issued a NEXT Weather Alert.—
Terry Eliasen,
CBS News,
11 June 2026
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The story began with Joel (Pedro Pascal), a hardened survivor, getting hired to smuggle Ellie (Bella Ramsey), a 14-year-old girl, out of an oppressive quarantine zone.—
Nellie Andreeva,
Deadline,
11 June 2026
Adjective
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JSerra navigated a difficult regular-season schedule, then avoided upsets in the playoffs.—
Eric Sondheimer,
Los Angeles Times,
8 June 2026
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But the strength of his acidic, strong, difficult performance was too powerful for the Tonys to deny.—
Rebecca Alter,
Vulture,
8 June 2026
Adjective
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Three Lions are led by the most lethal striker in the game Harry Kane.—
Scott M. Reid,
Oc Register,
10 June 2026
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Idaho has not executed a prisoner in 14 years, last carrying out the death penalty by lethal injection in June 2012.—
Kevin Fixler,
Idaho Statesman,
10 June 2026
Adjective
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With the myth of Medea as a burning thematic wire, and through the metaphor of bloody dog fights, the novel burns with the rage and despair of those who remain unseen.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
9 June 2026
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In a region that's seen decades of bloody wars and a 2018-2020 Ebola outbreak, de Merode says the past few weeks stand out.—
Gabrielle Emanuel,
NPR,
6 June 2026
Adjective
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Ikutiminu, who will attend UC Irvine in the fall, even spoke with musicians about how to create a sound that would be less harsh than the vuvuzela.—
Kenny Choi,
CBS News,
12 June 2026
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Without toxic acids Tripathi’s breakthrough eliminates the harsh chemicals.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
11 June 2026
Adjective
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Inmates challenging execution methods must suggest an alternative method.—
Landon Mion,
FOXNews.com,
10 June 2026
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Lee, who relieved fans by hitting his old high notes on night one, sounded even stronger on night two, gleefully tearing into the most challenging corners of their catalog.—
Brian Hiatt,
Rolling Stone,
10 June 2026
Adjective
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Japan has long been battling a growing bear problem with deadly attacks reached record levels last fall.—
Jessie Yeung,
CNN Money,
9 June 2026
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Prosecutors contend the evidence shows Anthony escalated a verbal dispute into a deadly encounter.—
Stepheny Price,
FOXNews.com,
9 June 2026
Adjective
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Higher-level inmates gorge themselves; those below face starvation, suicide or cannibalism – a brutal metaphor for the world’s food chain.—
John Hopewell,
Variety,
12 June 2026
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The president’s instinct to go for the jugular was on display in his first campaign, when he was written off early on as an entertainer but found success with brutal takedowns.—
Zac Anderson,
USA Today,
12 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Murderous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/murderous. Accessed 14 Jun. 2026.
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