killing

1 of 2

noun

kill·​ing ˈki-liŋ How to pronounce killing (audio)
1
: the act of one that kills
2
3
: a sudden notable gain or profit
made a killing in the stock market

killing

2 of 2

adjective

1
: that kills or relates to killing
2
: highly amusing
3
: extremely difficult to deal with
the suspense is killing
also : calling for great strength, stamina, or endurance
a killing schedule
killingly adverb

Examples of killing in a Sentence

Noun The oil spill is responsible for the killing of thousands of birds. Adjective he's usually quiet, but occasionally unleashes some killing remark that cracks everyone up a killing schedule that requires the touring company to play in a different city every night
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Grayson is the only one of the four facing a death sentence since the other teens were under 18 at the time of the killing. CBS News, 21 Nov. 2024 That’s the same number of killings that occurred during the entire month of November last year, according to Police Department data. Bianca Moreno-Paz, Austin American-Statesman, 20 Nov. 2024
Adjective
The anti-trapping, anti-killing anything movement has also taken a toll. John Schandelmeier, Anchorage Daily News, 8 Jan. 2022 For the few pests that do show up, first spray with non-killing repellents such as garlic and garlic pepper tea. Howard Garrett, Dallas News, 26 July 2021 See all Example Sentences for killing 

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of killing was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near killing

Cite this Entry

“Killing.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/killing. Accessed 5 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

killing

noun
kill·​ing
ˈkil-iŋ
: a sudden large profit

More from Merriam-Webster on killing

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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