MURDEROUS Synonyms: 298 Similar and Opposite Words

murderous

adjective

ˈmər-d(ə-)rəs

Definition of murderous

as in oppressive

difficult to endure the murderous heat of the desert

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in difficult

requiring considerable physical or mental effort those exams were murderous

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of murderous Bret Easton Ellis’s 2023 novel The Shards is a tragedy, an autofiction imaginarium of ’80s excess in which a serial killer and a murderous cult plague Ellis’s senior year of high school. — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 5 Aug. 2026 The singer plays a murderous aspiring actress in her new music video—with blood red hair. — Meg Walters, InStyle, 31 July 2026 Remember when there was a wave of filmmakers all trying to make murderous Steamboat Willie horror movies because the character had entered the public domain? — Brian Welk, IndieWire, 29 July 2026 And no, hating Zionism and this murderous thief is not hating Jews. — Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 26 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for murderous

Recent Examples of Synonyms for murderous

Adjective

Casablanca is another clear reference point for an episode in which a café serves as a locus of intrigue for a resistance group fighting against oppressive invaders.

— Keith Phipps, Vulture, 13 Aug. 2026
Airport ground crews in hot climates can be exposed to oppressive heat, and airlines must protect their health.

— Emma Balleste, CNN Money, 12 Aug. 2026

Definition of oppressive

Adjective

The shortcomings of Usman and Dvalishvili, future Hall of Famers, only point to how difficult the historic mark was to reach.

— Mark Puleo, New York Times, 16 Aug. 2026
The Teamsters have been enthusiastically endorsing the bill specifically because, while 40-something employers would be difficult to collectively bargain against, DSP workers would be much easier to organize once within Amazon.

— Tiana Lowe Doescher, The Washington Examiner, 15 Aug. 2026

Definition of difficult

Adjective

Experts say the trend does not indicate the virus has become more lethal.

— CNN Money, CNN Money, 17 Aug. 2026
So, while users might be safe inside their homes or vehicles, taking a few steps outside to wait for the sensors to register danger might be a potentially lethal sojourn.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 17 Aug. 2026

Definition of lethal

Adjective

Robinson, who later served as governor of Kansas during the bloody conflicts leading up to the Civil War, devoted a chapter of his autobiography to the events of that day.

— Don Sweeney, Sacbee.com, 15 Aug. 2026
Healthy persons infected with Salmonella often experience fever, diarrhea (which may be bloody), nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain.

— Michele Laufik, Martha Stewart, 14 Aug. 2026

Definition of bloody

Adjective

The champion faced a challenging opponent, as Garry forced him to work hard for seven takedowns and inflicted some facial damage.

— Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 16 Aug. 2026
The current outbreak, caused by the rare Bundibugyo Ebola virus, is unfolding in some of the most challenging conditions imaginable.

— ABC News, ABC News, 15 Aug. 2026

Definition of challenging

Adjective

Many residents on Flores island in East Nusa Tenggara province spent the day mourning victims and waiting for aid to arrive to communities still cut off by the deadly quake.

— CBS News, CBS News, 17 Aug. 2026
Reuters — The Ebola outbreak in Democratic Republic of Congo has killed 2,325 people, government data showed on Sunday, surpassing the toll from the 2018-2020 outbreak to become the deadliest in the country’s history.

— CNN Money, CNN Money, 17 Aug. 2026

Definition of deadly

Adjective

What follows is a brutal fight for survival against aggressive, hungry, and carnivorous dinosaurs who quickly turn the community's previously idyllic streets into their own personal feeding ground.

— Megan McCluskey, Time, 14 Aug. 2026
The company's earnings should also benefit from a better freight cycle, which has shown signs of improvement after a brutal multiyear recession that began in 2022.

— Jeff Marks, CNBC, 14 Aug. 2026

Definition of brutal

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murdering

murderous

murderousness

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“Murderous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/murderous. Accessed 19 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of murderous

adjective

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