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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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
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
Nor should Iran earn gold stars for supporting its murderous network of allies that includes Hamas and Hezbollah.
—Tom Jurkowsky, Baltimore Sun, 25 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for murderous
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
Nor should Iran earn gold stars for supporting its murderous network of allies that includes Hamas and Hezbollah.
—Tom Jurkowsky, Baltimore Sun, 25 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for murderous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for murderous
Adjective
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The dialogue is well-crafted, the Southern atmosphere (Atlanta doubling Savannah, with Savannah here and there standing for itself) suitably oppressive.—
Robert Lloyd,
Los Angeles Times,
4 June 2026
-
Dew points above 65 degrees indicate a high level of moisture in the air, making the heat oppressive.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
2 June 2026
Adjective
-
That was so tragic, so difficult for Prince William and Prince Harry which has stayed with them.—
Stephen Schaefer,
Boston Herald,
31 May 2026
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Every business leader waiting for a difficult market to come around should pay attention to what happened in Seoul.—
Bill Schiffmiller,
Forbes.com,
31 May 2026
Adjective
-
Hurricane Andrew — the lethal 1992 storm that almost always gets invoked as a cautionary tale — struck during a relatively quiet year and though fierce, was puny by comparison.—
Miami Herald Archives,
Miami Herald,
3 June 2026
-
Throughout the game, players can create distractions and temporarily scare off the dinosaurs using non-lethal weaponry.—
Payton Turkeltaub,
Variety,
3 June 2026
Adjective
-
The flap has also brought harsh criticism from prominent people in Miami, including former Democratic congressman Joe Garcia.—
Douglas Hanks,
Miami Herald,
4 June 2026
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Without excessive optimism, in a world that is becoming harsher, the Festival, on the contrary, is opening up and improving.—
Elsa Keslassy,
Variety,
4 June 2026
Adjective
-
The most challenging decision of the day might be selecting a picnic spot or which lagoon to snorkel.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
3 June 2026
-
What Destin and Andrew have is a mandate to deliver to the audience something utterly unique, utterly endearing, quite challenging, and intelligent.—
Ben Kingsley,
IndieWire,
3 June 2026
Adjective
-
Kyiv, Ukraine — Russia launched a large-scale deadly attack on the Ukrainian capital Kyiv early Tuesday, damaging residential buildings, authorities said, as part of a broad offensive on targets across Ukraine.—
Helen Regan,
CNN Money,
2 June 2026
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High levels of rotavirus, a potentially deadly virus, have been detected in wastewater in the Boise area, testing shows.—
Hali Smith
June 1,
Idaho Statesman,
1 June 2026
Adjective
-
Israel waged a bloody fight to capture the castle in 1982, ousting Yasser Arafat's Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO).—
Greg Myre,
NPR,
31 May 2026
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In the end, El Grande Americano defeated Original El Grande Americano in a bloody contest.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
31 May 2026
Adjective
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For her, the aftermath of that victory brought heightened anxiety, and searing criticism from outsiders when the Swedish pro’s play took a dip.—
Assistant Sports Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
4 June 2026
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Though Boys sometimes sees Watt take searing leads reminiscent of McCartney’s ’60s and ’70s guitar foils, like George Harrison, just as often, McCartney is playing almost everything himself.—
Craig Jenkins,
Vulture,
4 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Murderous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/murderous. Accessed 7 Jun. 2026.
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