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
Of all the bizarre dynamics at play in the HBO Max show — kissing brothers, potentially murderous May-December romances, a rogue gun — the most captivating one might be the girls’ trip.
—
Aditi Shrikant, CNBC, 26 Mar. 2025
The Barnetts publicly claimed that their daughter was an evil, murderous 20-something con artist pretending to be a little girl.
—Aja Romano, Vox, 21 Mar. 2025
Although other Russian intellectuals have called for Ukraine’s incorporation into the Russian Federation, none have done so for quite so long, or with such a murderous tone, as Dugin.
—James Verini, The New Yorker, 1 Mar. 2025
Min-chan’s murderous actions eventually lead to Yang-rae’s death, but not right away.
—Kayti Burt, TIME, 20 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for murderous
Aditi Shrikant, CNBC, 26 Mar. 2025
The Barnetts publicly claimed that their daughter was an evil, murderous 20-something con artist pretending to be a little girl.
—Aja Romano, Vox, 21 Mar. 2025
Although other Russian intellectuals have called for Ukraine’s incorporation into the Russian Federation, none have done so for quite so long, or with such a murderous tone, as Dugin.
—James Verini, The New Yorker, 1 Mar. 2025
Min-chan’s murderous actions eventually lead to Yang-rae’s death, but not right away.
—Kayti Burt, TIME, 20 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for murderous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for murderous
Adjective
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Plan Your Trip Charleston, South Carolina The Holy City may be blanketed in humidity in the height of summer, but Charlestonians have figured out all the best ways to deal with the oppressive air.—
Lydia Mansel,
Southern Living,
4 Apr. 2025
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In its first season, Andor was cinematic, grown-up, grounded, and urgent, running bold choices or ideas, like deftly examining how oppressive administrations exert their political power.—
Photo: Courtesy of Netflix.,
Refinery29,
1 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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There are very big match-ups being played week in and week out in what is one of the most difficult leagues to play in on the planet, this means the big contenders will drop points more often than in some other leagues.—
Joseph O'Sullivan,
Forbes.com,
1 Apr. 2025
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Generations of design successors have insisted that pie charts are difficult to read and even amount to optical informatic illusions, but we are still stuck with them.—
Mara Mills,
Artforum,
1 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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When carboxyhemoglobin saturation exceeds 50%, it is considered lethal.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
3 Apr. 2025
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Astronauts on a mission to Mars lasting several years would be exposed to potentially lethal amounts of radiation, Pitts said.—
Joshua Rhett Miller,
MSNBC Newsweek,
2 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Donald Trump defended his harsh new tariffs on Saturday Night Live this week — and maybe took a swipe at last week’s musical guest, too.—
Dave Nemetz,
TVLine,
5 Apr. 2025
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When the father tried to explain himself, the women criticized him for being too harsh.—
Ashley Vega,
People.com,
4 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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But in more challenging economic times, homeowners are seeking ways to make upgrades without breaking the bank.—
Janeé Bolden,
Essence,
4 Apr. 2025
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Having a terminal diagnosis is challenging but also clarifying.—
Ashley M. Wilcox,
New York Times,
4 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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She was originally charged with manslaughter – typical in a deadly hit-and-run case – but authorities later tacked on the murder charge.—
Michael Ruiz,
FOXNews.com,
1 Apr. 2025
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As fate would have it, the very destructive and deadly wildfires that swept through Los Angeles neighborhoods this year erupted as its city officials were struggling to close a large gap in their budget.—
Dan Walters,
Mercury News,
1 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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After watching in terror as a man violently attacked a police officer in an El Cajon fast-food restaurant, Iesha Booker checked for a pulse on the bloody, unconscious officer and yelled into the radio on his belt.—
Karen Kucher,
sandiegouniontribune.com,
19 July 2017
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Photos of the man in a hospital bed with a bloody mouth were also posted.—
Jonece Starr Dunigan,
AL.com,
14 July 2017
Adjective
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Stir-frying is a method of quickly searing and cooking bite-size pieces of protein and vegetables in a splash of oil over high heat.—
Lynda Balslev,
Mercury News,
1 Apr. 2025
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Theron’s performance as the one-armed warrior Furiosa is one for the ages—stoic, searing and unbearably emotional beneath the surface.—
Travis Bean,
Forbes.com,
29 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Murderous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/murderous. Accessed 14 Apr. 2025.
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