assassinate

verb

as·​sas·​si·​nate ə-ˈsa-sə-ˌnāt How to pronounce assassinate (audio)
assassinated; assassinating

transitive verb

1
: to murder (a usually prominent person) by sudden or secret attack often for political reasons
a plot to assassinate the governor
2
: to injure or destroy unexpectedly and treacherously
assassinate a man's character
assassinator noun
Choose the Right Synonym for assassinate

kill, slay, murder, assassinate, dispatch, execute mean to deprive of life.

kill merely states the fact of death caused by an agency in any manner.

killed in an accident
frost killed the plants

slay is a chiefly literary term implying deliberateness and violence but not necessarily motive.

slew thousands of the Philistines

murder specifically implies stealth and motive and premeditation and therefore full moral responsibility.

convicted of murdering a rival

assassinate applies to deliberate killing openly or secretly often for political motives.

terrorists assassinated the Senator

dispatch stresses quickness and directness in putting to death.

dispatched the sentry with one bullet

execute stresses putting to death as a legal penalty.

executed by lethal gas

Examples of assassinate in a Sentence

They discovered a secret plot to assassinate the governor. President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in 1963.
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.
That month was when Gabby Giffords was shot, and one of her staff members was assassinated. Andrew Stanton, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Sep. 2025 The day after conservative political leader and Arizona resident Charlie Kirk was assassinated, leaders from Christian, conservative and libertarian non-profits stood outside the Arizona Supreme Court with a sign. Taylor Seely, AZCentral.com, 28 Sep. 2025 Tyler Robinson, 22, is accused of assassinating the 31-year-old Kirk by shooting him in the neck from a rooftop as the victim was speaking in front of thousands of people in the campus courtyard. Michael Ruiz, FOXNews.com, 28 Sep. 2025 The attack came two weeks after conservative activist Charlie Kirk was assassinated at a university in Utah. Anna Giaritelli, The Washington Examiner, 25 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for assassinate

Word History

Etymology

see assassin

First Known Use

1600, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of assassinate was in 1600

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Assassinate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/assassinate. Accessed 30 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

assassinate

verb
as·​sas·​si·​nate ə-ˈsas-ᵊn-ˌāt How to pronounce assassinate (audio)
assassinated; assassinating
: to murder a usually important person by a surprise or secret attack
assassination noun

More from Merriam-Webster on assassinate

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!