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
The role of the murderous kid is shared by 11-year-old Catharina Araujo of Glencoe and 12-year-old Olivia Mulder of Round Lake Beach.
—
Myrna Petlicki, Chicago Tribune, 4 Apr. 2026
An account of life in Berlin from 1939 to 1945 under a murderous regime.
—Los Angeles Times, 25 Mar. 2026
The torches reference a story in Kurdish mythology in which a courageous blacksmith assembles an army of villagers and kills a murderous king — signaling with the mountain-top flames that the Kurds are free.
—Jane Arraf, NPR, 21 Mar. 2026
The spirit of the endeavor can forgive a lot, with some clumsy filmmaking that doesn’t seem to be an intentional homage, such as a slapdash set-up to Helen’s murderous ways and a slightly tacked-on feeling opening involving a film critic who has been a thorn in Jack’s side.
—Stephen Saito, Variety, 15 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for murderous
Myrna Petlicki, Chicago Tribune, 4 Apr. 2026
An account of life in Berlin from 1939 to 1945 under a murderous regime.
—Los Angeles Times, 25 Mar. 2026
The torches reference a story in Kurdish mythology in which a courageous blacksmith assembles an army of villagers and kills a murderous king — signaling with the mountain-top flames that the Kurds are free.
—Jane Arraf, NPR, 21 Mar. 2026
The spirit of the endeavor can forgive a lot, with some clumsy filmmaking that doesn’t seem to be an intentional homage, such as a slapdash set-up to Helen’s murderous ways and a slightly tacked-on feeling opening involving a film critic who has been a thorn in Jack’s side.
—Stephen Saito, Variety, 15 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for murderous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for murderous
Adjective
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Refusing to abide by aspects of the oppressive and budget-busting Blueprint for Maryland’s Future is as good a place to start as any.—
Chris Roemer,
Baltimore Sun,
9 Apr. 2026
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The third was to free the Iranian people from a brutally oppressive government and move the country toward democratic representation reflecting the aspirations and talents of its 90 million people.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
8 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Such claims of penury, however, were difficult to square with certain facts.—
Patrick Radden Keefe,
New Yorker,
13 Apr. 2026
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Over time, my relationship with my wife has become very difficult.—
R. Eric Thomas,
Chicago Tribune,
12 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Airing in 2002, Jackson is exposed to lethal radiation after diving into a reactor to shut it down and prevent a meltdown.—
Daryl Baxter,
Space.com,
14 Apr. 2026
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Tewksbury Police Chief Ryan Columbus and the Massachusetts Chiefs of Police Association criticized the order, saying the removal of less-lethal equipment will place hospital public safety officers, staff, patients and residents at risk.—
Rick Pozniak,
Boston Herald,
14 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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The lawyers also argue that Combs' sentence was too harsh, saying the trial judge wrongly based it in part on a conclusion that the crimes involved fraud and coercion and that Combs was a leader or organizer of criminal activity.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
9 Apr. 2026
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Focused on a 2021 expedition in which Icelandic climber John Snorri Sigurjónsson and the Pakistani father-and-son team Ali and Sajid Sadpara attempt to become the first to summit K2 in winter, when conditions are at their harshest.—
Christian Zilko,
IndieWire,
9 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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The Cubs are trying to survive this challenging stretch as they have been decimated by pitching injuries.—
Meghan Montemurro,
Chicago Tribune,
16 Apr. 2026
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In kitchens around the country, chefs are translating this novelty into dishes that aren’t too challenging to get behind.—
Jaia Clingham-David,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
15 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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The woman had an active domestic violence restraining order against Garcia at the time of the deadly shooting.—
Matthew Rodriguez,
CBS News,
14 Apr. 2026
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Their world is upended when a new neighbor moves in across the street, bringing old secrets of the cul-de-sac to light and new deadly threats shatter the illusion of their quiet little neighborhood.—
Nellie Andreeva,
Deadline,
13 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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The father, Jagdish, told me that one of his children was vomiting and the other had bloody stools; both were depressed.—
Sarah Stillman,
New Yorker,
13 Apr. 2026
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Brian Hooker told an officer he had been assaulted by his wife, who struck him multiple times, according to the report, which said he was found with a swollen, bloody nose.—
Alaa Elassar,
CNN Money,
13 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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The term refers to warmer-than-average waters along the equatorial Pacific that can influence weather across the globe, raising the odds of searing drought in some regions and torrential rain in others.—
Alex Wigglesworth,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Apr. 2026
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Paramount+’s The Madison is a tale of two shows, one a dire lampooning of snooty New York elites and one a searing portrait of grief and healing anchored by Pfeiffer’s raw intensity.—
Daniel Fienberg,
HollywoodReporter,
8 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Murderous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/murderous. Accessed 17 Apr. 2026.
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