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 One of Monster’s most interesting narrative moves is to shift the power dynamics between Bridget and Lizzie as their murderous plans get underway. — Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 18 Sep. 2026 Like other death row dramas including Clemency, Just Mercy and Dead Man Walking, this film questions whether there’s really that big a difference between murderous cruelty and state-sanctioned capital punishment. — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 17 Sep. 2026 The women are frequently naked, and the men are either murderous or barbaric. — Vikram Murthi, IndieWire, 14 Sep. 2026 Simon’s Slaughterhouse — Step inside a meat processing plant that has been taken over by Simon the Butcher and his murderous crew. — Brady MacDonald, Oc Register, 8 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for murderous

Recent Examples of Synonyms for murderous

Adjective

Thomas shocks Vision back to life, but this somehow alerts Butcherbird; Vision’s mindscape fills with oppressive red lighting, ominously circling birds, and TVs crackling with static.

— Tasha Robinson, Vulture, 21 Oct. 2026
The tropical sun was oppressive, but company representatives were prepared with orange parasols, each with a dedicated barcode.

— Gideon Lewis-Kraus, New Yorker, 19 Oct. 2026

Definition of oppressive

Adjective

Jarman, who came in as the defending champion on the event, put together a more difficult routine but was nicked by judges for his execution.

— ABC News, ABC News, 24 Oct. 2026
This is the last remaining game on the schedule that should be very difficult.

— David Troy OutKick, FOXNews.com, 24 Oct. 2026

Definition of difficult

Adjective

In December 2024, Syrian rebels streamed into Damascus in a surprise attack that toppled President Bashar al-Assad and put an end to more than 13 bloody years of civil war.

— Emily Feng, Washington Post, 26 Oct. 2026
The Administration’s tactics have reminded her of recent malicious acts in France tied to Russian operatives, such as the defacing of a Holocaust memorial with bloody handprints and the planting of a pig’s head outside a mosque.

— Lauren Collins, New Yorker, 26 Oct. 2026

Definition of bloody

Adjective

Such calculations are part of a wider effort to understand why molecular simulations remain challenging.

— Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 24 Oct. 2026
But the shift in college athletics has required an internal reconciling that is even more challenging than the external education.

— Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 24 Oct. 2026

Definition of challenging

Adjective

Police charged 52-year-old Mooresville resident Rod Moskowitz with assault with a deadly weapon on a government official, court records show.

— Joe Marusak, Charlotte Observer, 25 Oct. 2026
Memories are fresh of the nationwide protests sparked by economic pressures that led to a deadly crackdown weeks before the war.

— Amir-Hussein Radjy, Los Angeles Times, 25 Oct. 2026

Definition of deadly

Adjective

Now in his 25th year on television, Chuck has built a beloved media career through brutal honesty.

— Alejandro Avila OutKick, FOXNews.com, 23 Oct. 2026
Although the decrease in shot volume wasn’t quite as dramatic, Giddey went 1-for-10 from the field and scored only two points in Wednesday’s brutal beatdown by the Raptors.

— Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of brutal

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murdering

murderous

murderousness

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Style

“Murderous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/murderous. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of murderous

adjective

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