1
as in funny
causing or intended to cause laughter
he's usually quiet, but occasionally unleashes some killing remark that cracks everyone up
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in challenging
requiring much time, effort, or careful attention
a killing schedule that requires the touring company to play in a different city every night
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in cleanup
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in murder
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
as in destroying
to deprive of life
during the war more soldiers were killed by disease than anything else
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in dismissing
to reject by or as if by a vote
the Senate killed the bill by a single vote
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in deleting
to show (something written) to be no longer valid by drawing a cross over or a line through it
I think that paragraph is irrelevant, so kill it
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in wearing
to use up all the physical energy of
the long hike up the mountain just about killed us
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in fascinating
to attract or delight as if by magic
with his dark good looks he would positively kill the ladies
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in braking
to cause to stop functioning
kill the engine before it overheats
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 killing
New York Times, 20 Apr. 2020
The problem at hand is the novel coronavirus, and U.S. sanctions are aiding its killing spree in Iran.
—Bonnie Kristian, TheWeek, 18 Mar. 2020
Sharon Bernstein, Sacbee.com, 27 Mar. 2025
Just days away from the 30th anniversary of Quintanilla’s death, Saldívar, who fatally shot the Mexican-American music pioneer after a confrontation in a motel in Corpus Christi, was denied parole due to the violent nature of the killing.
—Thania Garcia, Variety, 27 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for killing
Adjective
The killing spree began in the cottage community of Portapique where Mr. Wortman owned several properties.
—New York Times, 20 Apr. 2020
The problem at hand is the novel coronavirus, and U.S. sanctions are aiding its killing spree in Iran.
—Bonnie Kristian, TheWeek, 18 Mar. 2020
Noun
Adel Ramos, who admitted to the bloody ambush killing of Sacramento police rookie Tara O’Sullivan in 2019, was sentenced to death on Thursday by a Sacramento Superior Court jury.
—Sharon Bernstein, Sacbee.com, 27 Mar. 2025
Just days away from the 30th anniversary of Quintanilla’s death, Saldívar, who fatally shot the Mexican-American music pioneer after a confrontation in a motel in Corpus Christi, was denied parole due to the violent nature of the killing.
—Thania Garcia, Variety, 27 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for killing
Recent Examples of Synonyms for killing
Adjective
-
His being handsome, funny and not known for comedy was a real asset.—
Rosa Escandon,
Forbes.com,
13 Apr. 2025
-
And makes a funny joke about giving Glenn Close an Oscar.—
Andy Hoglund,
EW.com,
13 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Deriving the mesoscopic from the microscopic, on the other hand, has been much more mathematically challenging.—
Jack Murtagh,
Scientific American,
14 Apr. 2025
-
Coach Chris Finch has led them to the playoffs in each of his four full seasons on the job, and this may have been the most challenging one yet.—
Jon Krawczynski,
New York Times,
14 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
He was sent to Europe for the final assault on Nazi Germany and the cleanup for the Battle of the Bulge.—
Jean E. Palmieri,
Footwear News,
14 Apr. 2025
-
The organizers of the cleanup keep close track of what the volunteers find.—
Dominick Williams,
Kansas City Star,
13 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Monroe County Sheriff’s Office detectives are investigating the murder of a woman whose body was found stuffed into a closet Monday at a Florida Keys resort.—
David Goodhue,
Miami Herald,
9 Apr. 2025
-
Mario Edgardo Garcia Aquino, 43, was charged with special circumstance allegation that the murder happened during the commission of another violent felony, such as a robbery or rape.—
Charna Flam,
People.com,
8 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
Online records show that Lamb was charged with homicide, kidnap-false imprisonment, evidence-destroying and procure for prostitute.—
Adam Sabes,
FOXNews.com,
10 Apr. 2025
-
But if enacted, some of the ideas proposed also risk destroying a nascent private sector and worsening the country’s ongoing humanitarian crisis.—
Nora Gámez Torres,
Miami Herald,
10 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
Most importantly, the proposal provides that, when discovery items are turned over belatedly, judges can impose consequences that stop short of dismissing the whole case, if a lesser remedy can ensure fairness to the defendant.—
Jane Manning,
New York Daily News,
31 Mar. 2025
-
So lawmakers aren't dismissing Golden Dome out of hand.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
27 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
Google Sends Non-Apology Email To Users Some Google Maps users received a March 21 email from Google which, while still not actually apologizing for deleting their data, did go some way to explain what was happening and what could be done to restore the lost timelines.—
Davey Winder,
Forbes,
23 Mar. 2025
-
So military service members and civilians have evaluated social media posts by hand, working late into the night and on weekends to pore over their unit's social media pages, cataloging and deleting references going back years.—
arkansasonline.com,
arkansasonline.com,
23 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
And there's an 80-lux LED headlight plus braking tail-light.—
Paul Ridden,
New Atlas,
20 Dec. 2024
-
Over 300,000 Ram Heavy Duty pickup trucks have been recalled this week over a braking system defect.—
Daniel R. Depetris,
Newsweek,
6 Dec. 2024
Cite this Entry
“Killing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/killing. Accessed 23 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share