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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
But the Gunslinger’s murderous rampage is a symptom of a larger problem.
—
Keith Phipps, Vulture, 23 Apr. 2026
Two weeks later, police say, those same hands pulled the trigger that took all of their lives and that of along with one of their cousins in a murderous spree that shocked Shreveport.
—Lauren Mascarenhas, CNN Money, 23 Apr. 2026
Meanwhile, Rosie is piecing together Sam’s true identity herself and learns of his murderous past.
—Keith Langston, PEOPLE, 23 Apr. 2026
In the horror sequel, Josh Hutcherson and Elizabeth Lail return to face new foes as well the old murderous animatronic animals of Freddy Fazbear's Pizza.
—Brian Truitt, USA Today, 10 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for murderous
Keith Phipps, Vulture, 23 Apr. 2026
Two weeks later, police say, those same hands pulled the trigger that took all of their lives and that of along with one of their cousins in a murderous spree that shocked Shreveport.
—Lauren Mascarenhas, CNN Money, 23 Apr. 2026
Meanwhile, Rosie is piecing together Sam’s true identity herself and learns of his murderous past.
—Keith Langston, PEOPLE, 23 Apr. 2026
In the horror sequel, Josh Hutcherson and Elizabeth Lail return to face new foes as well the old murderous animatronic animals of Freddy Fazbear's Pizza.
—Brian Truitt, USA Today, 10 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for murderous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for murderous
Adjective
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Beyond its pleasures as a noir, the chronicle of Kolechko’s fight against nascent Soviet power easily reminds one of present-day Ukraine’s struggle to preserve its dignity in the face of oppressive forces.—
The Atlantic,
The Atlantic,
14 May 2026
-
But the sweltering, sticky, oppressive facepalm of summer doesn’t make the other seasons more palatable.—
Letters to the Editor,
The Orlando Sentinel,
8 May 2026
Adjective
-
The Aces scored 26 points off those giveaways, which made things even more difficult on the defense.—
Marisa Ingemi,
Los Angeles Times,
11 May 2026
-
Schiraldi oversaw a particularly difficult period on Rikers.—
Molly Fischer,
New Yorker,
11 May 2026
Adjective
-
Prosecutors also displayed the internet search history from Richins’ phone, which included queries about the lethal dose of fentanyl, luxury prisons and how poisoning is marked on a death certificate.—
Hannah Schoenbaum,
Chicago Tribune,
13 May 2026
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In a letter last month, the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration notified federal grant recipients that the government would no longer pay for test strips and kits that help drug users see if their drugs contain highly-lethal additives.—
Mike Stobbe,
Fortune,
13 May 2026
Adjective
-
The scheme has been so successful, law enforcement has created a joint FBI-National Security Division task force to disrupt the operations and have dealt a series of harsh prison terms to American accomplices who have willingly aided the North Koreans.—
Amanda Gerut,
Fortune,
14 May 2026
-
To fully embody her OnlyFans persona, an earthside alien named The Hungry Ghost, who offers mild nudity and harsh criticism of her willing subscribers’ genitalia.—
Alli Rosenbloom,
CNN Money,
14 May 2026
Adjective
-
Figuring out how to animate them was challenging.—
Marta Balaga,
Variety,
13 May 2026
-
With more than 7,300 yards of play, this challenging course also allows shorter three- or six-hole loops, perfect for golf vacations with kids who may not be up for an entire 18-hole round.—
Megan duBois,
USA Today,
13 May 2026
Adjective
-
At least 18 people are currently under observation at two of the nation’s top medical centers after being potentially exposed to hantavirus aboard the MV Hondius, the cruise ship at the center of the deadly outbreak.—
Natalie Neysa Alund,
USA Today,
12 May 2026
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Fifteen people jailed at Rikers died that year, the beginning of an uptick toward the deadliest annual figures in almost a decade.—
Molly Fischer,
New Yorker,
11 May 2026
Adjective
-
One night, Montiel's mother awoke to find her daughter's bedsheets red with blood − a result of hemorrhaging and bloody diarrhea, caused by the virus.—
Charles Trepany,
USA Today,
11 May 2026
-
Bellingham received an elbow to the face from Eric Garcia which left him with a bloody lip.—
Dermot Corrigan,
New York Times,
10 May 2026
Adjective
-
Oscar had shown me pages of this searing fiction periodically.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
12 May 2026
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While ferocious heat dominates the region for much of the year, the Sky Islands remain cool thanks to their high elevation, providing the perfect escape from the searing weather below.—
Cu Fleshman,
Travel + Leisure,
10 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Murderous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/murderous. Accessed 17 May. 2026.
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