1
: a person who commits murder
especially
: one who murders a politically important person either for money or from fanatical adherence to a cause
2
Assassin
: a member of a Shia Muslim sect who at the time of the Crusades was sent out on a suicidal mission to murder prominent enemies
Examples of assassin in a Sentence
John Wilkes Booth was the assassin of Abraham Lincoln.
shot down by an unknown assassin
Recent Examples on the Web
And early intensity gave way to a late-game assassin.
—
Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 1 Apr. 2025
Bruce Glover, the unorthodox actor who portrayed Mr. Wint, the assassin with the distinctive aftershave who partnered with Putter Smith’s Mr. Kidd in the James Bond film Diamonds Are Forever, has died.
—Mike Barnes, HollywoodReporter, 29 Mar. 2025
The film, written by Shay Hatten, takes place during the events of John Wick: Chapter 3 — Parabellum, and sees Armas’ take on the assassin role, previously played by Unity Phelan.
—Kalia Richardson, Rolling Stone, 19 Mar. 2025
Little more than an hour later, he would be felled by an assassin’s bullet.
—Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 19 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for assassin
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Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 1 Apr. 2025
Bruce Glover, the unorthodox actor who portrayed Mr. Wint, the assassin with the distinctive aftershave who partnered with Putter Smith’s Mr. Kidd in the James Bond film Diamonds Are Forever, has died.
—Mike Barnes, HollywoodReporter, 29 Mar. 2025
The film, written by Shay Hatten, takes place during the events of John Wick: Chapter 3 — Parabellum, and sees Armas’ take on the assassin role, previously played by Unity Phelan.
—Kalia Richardson, Rolling Stone, 19 Mar. 2025
Little more than an hour later, he would be felled by an assassin’s bullet.
—Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 19 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for assassin
Cite this Entry
“Assassin.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/assassin. Accessed 12 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
assassin
noun
as·sas·sin
ə-ˈsas-ən 
: a person who kills another person
especially
: one who murders a politically important person either for pay or from loyalty to a cause
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