murderous
adjective
mur·der·ous
ˈmər-d(ə-)rəs 
1
a
: having the purpose or capability of murder
a murderous machine gun
b
: characterized by or causing murder or bloodshed
a murderous dictator
2
: having the ability or power to overwhelm : devastating
murderous heat
murderously
adverb
murderousness
noun
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
As the curse causes the infected villagers to become violently murderous, police officer Jong-goo (Kwak Do-won) tries to get to the bottom of it, personally motivated by his daughter's own transformation.
—
Kevin Jacobsen, Entertainment Weekly, 21 Feb. 2026
Scientists have long suspected that active supermassive black holes can kill their own host galaxies, but new research suggests these cosmic titans are more like serial killers that can extend their murderous rampage across many light-years and destroy neighboring galaxies, too.
—Robert Lea, Space.com, 20 Feb. 2026
Adding further to the overall tension is the looming presence of a murderous knight in full armor roaming the countryside.
—Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 19 Feb. 2026
Performers who flirt with murderous rhetoric and ideologies hardly make ideal mascots for the pro-Palestine movement, or for anyone else who advocates to end, not intensify, violence in the Middle East.
—Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 11 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for murderous
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Kevin Jacobsen, Entertainment Weekly, 21 Feb. 2026
Scientists have long suspected that active supermassive black holes can kill their own host galaxies, but new research suggests these cosmic titans are more like serial killers that can extend their murderous rampage across many light-years and destroy neighboring galaxies, too.
—Robert Lea, Space.com, 20 Feb. 2026
Adding further to the overall tension is the looming presence of a murderous knight in full armor roaming the countryside.
—Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 19 Feb. 2026
Performers who flirt with murderous rhetoric and ideologies hardly make ideal mascots for the pro-Palestine movement, or for anyone else who advocates to end, not intensify, violence in the Middle East.
—Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 11 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for murderous
Cite this Entry
“Murderous.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/murderous. Accessed 26 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationKids 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
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