murderous

adjective

mur·​der·​ous ˈmər-d(ə-)rəs 

1

a

: having the purpose or capability of murder

b

: characterized by or causing murder or bloodshed

2

: having the ability or power to overwhelm : devastating

murderous heat

murderously adverb

murderousness noun

Synonyms

• bitter
• brutal
• burdensome
• cruel
• excruciating
• grievous
• grim
• hard
• hardhanded
• harsh
• heavy
• inhuman
• onerous
• oppressive
• rough
• rugged
• searing
• severe
• stiff
• tough
• trying

Examples of murderous in a Sentence

I can't stand this murderous heat.

The lead runner set a murderous pace.

Recent Examples on the Web

With that crisis averted, the New York Police Department rolls in and arrests A.G. and the rest of his murderous Collective. —Kimberly Roots, TVLine, 29 May 2025

Ed Gale, the actor known for providing the physical performance behind the murderous Chucky doll in the Child's Play slasher movies, died Tuesday in Los Angeles at 61. —Shania Russell, EW.com, 28 May 2025

Simone is the dutiful personal assistant for an ultra-wealthy socialite named Michaela (Julianne Moore), whom Devon thinks might also be a murderous cult leader. —William Earl, Variety, 22 May 2025

The United States held Qaddafi’s Libya up as a success story in the global war on terror, a former rogue state that had made amends for its murderous past, relinquished its nuclear-weapons program and reoriented its oppressive state apparatus around American foreign-policy priorities. —Henry Leutwyler Robert Petkoff Emma Kehlbeck Quinton Kamara, New York Times, 20 May 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1535, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

murderous

adjective

mur·​der·​ous ˈmərd-(ə-)rəs 

1

: intending or capable of causing murder or bloodshed : deadly

murderous machine-gun fire

2

: very difficult to bear or withstand

a murderous glance

murderous heat

murderously adverb