1
as in oppressive
difficult to endure
the murderous heat of the desert
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in difficult
requiring considerable physical or mental effort
those exams were murderous
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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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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
As the curse causes the infected villagers to become violently murderous, police officer Jong-goo (Kwak Do-won) tries to get to the bottom of it, personally motivated by his daughter's own transformation.
—
Kevin Jacobsen, Entertainment Weekly, 21 Feb. 2026
Scientists have long suspected that active supermassive black holes can kill their own host galaxies, but new research suggests these cosmic titans are more like serial killers that can extend their murderous rampage across many light-years and destroy neighboring galaxies, too.
—Robert Lea, Space.com, 20 Feb. 2026
Adding further to the overall tension is the looming presence of a murderous knight in full armor roaming the countryside.
—Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 19 Feb. 2026
Both address the consequences of Brazil’s murderous 21-year military dictatorship.
—Lisa Rosen, Los Angeles Times, 11 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for murderous
Kevin Jacobsen, Entertainment Weekly, 21 Feb. 2026
Scientists have long suspected that active supermassive black holes can kill their own host galaxies, but new research suggests these cosmic titans are more like serial killers that can extend their murderous rampage across many light-years and destroy neighboring galaxies, too.
—Robert Lea, Space.com, 20 Feb. 2026
Adding further to the overall tension is the looming presence of a murderous knight in full armor roaming the countryside.
—Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 19 Feb. 2026
Both address the consequences of Brazil’s murderous 21-year military dictatorship.
—Lisa Rosen, Los Angeles Times, 11 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for murderous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for murderous
Adjective
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Some are violent in nature, showing guns pointing at the oppressive establishment, usually portrayed as pigs.—
John Ramos,
CBS News,
19 Feb. 2026
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Joan Almedilla, who plays Aurora Aquino in the Taper production, said her wish is for audiences to feel a collective call-to-action against oppressive leaders.—
Malia Mendez,
Los Angeles Times,
17 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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But having dodged the traps of the social media news era, The Economist now faces looming long-term structural challenges that may be more difficult to avoid.—
Max Tani,
semafor.com,
23 Feb. 2026
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Frontflips are generally more difficult than backflips for both humans and robots.—
Jijo Malayil,
Interesting Engineering,
23 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Birmingham's Thomas Rainwater, the casino magnate and Broken Rock Reservation boss, will also feature heavily on Marshals alongside Mo (Mo Brings Plenty), his lethal right hand.—
Randall Colburn,
Entertainment Weekly,
25 Feb. 2026
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Though law enforcement agencies consider pepper spray less lethal, more research is needed to assess its safety.—
Mark Gurarie,
Verywell Health,
25 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Prosecutors say the defendant failed to take into account his girlfriend’s inexperience in mountain climbing as well as the harsh winter conditions.—
Sophie Tanno,
CNN Money,
19 Feb. 2026
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Bathroom Fixtures There are no harsh or abrasive chemicals involved in steam cleaning bathroom fixtures.—
Rae Ford,
Martha Stewart,
19 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Here’s a look at five of Colorado’s scariest, most challenging ski slopes.—
John Meyer,
Denver Post,
26 Feb. 2026
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Competing in the relay of this event is heroic, choosing the individual adult event is up there at the top of challenging events.—
Moira McCarthy,
Boston Herald,
25 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Washington — The House of Representatives is set to consider whether a collision avoidance system that supporters say could have prevented last year’s deadly midair collision near Washington should be required on every plane in the US.—
Alexandra Skores,
CNN Money,
24 Feb. 2026
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That pause came six days after yet another judge vacated Williams’ lengthy sentence for the deadly 2001 shooting on the Santee campus, a decision that could clear the way for his release.—
Teri Figueroa,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
24 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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The fight got bloody as the teams composed of older picklers exchanged taunts after some players were accused of not playing by the rules, not being able to take the heat in the kitchen.—
Charles Selle,
Chicago Tribune,
23 Feb. 2026
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The officers found condoms, a knife, lubricant, razor blades, bloody tissues, a Faraday bag commonly used to block electronic signals and a boarding pass for Pysher's flight in his motel room.—
Austin Turner,
CBS News,
23 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Saturated in the heatwave colors of Australia’s scorching Red Center, with its searing blue skies and bright orange sands, Wolfram makes the grim, lawless backwater of Wake in Fright seem positively cosmopolitan by comparison.—
Damon Wise,
Deadline,
17 Feb. 2026
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Caramelizing lemon — by grilling, searing or sauteéing — is done in many Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisines.—
Carolynn Carreño,
Los Angeles Times,
15 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Murderous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/murderous. Accessed 26 Feb. 2026.
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