1
as in headache
a dull, unpleasant, or difficult piece of work
weeding out that overgrown garden is going to be a killer
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in murderer
a person who kills another person
gunned down by hired killers
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
as in lethal
likely to cause or capable of causing death
killer viruses that claimed millions of lives
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in difficult
requiring considerable physical or mental effort
a killer exercise program guaranteed to whip you into shape
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Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of killer
Maggie Harrison Dupré, Futurism, 29 Apr. 2026
The killer was radicalized online and moved to New Zealand in 2017 with a plan to commit a mass shooting.
—ABC News, 29 Apr. 2026
Using vinegar as a weed killer works best on newer plants.
—Samantha Johnson, Martha Stewart, 29 Apr. 2026
Timing is one of the quieter killers.
—Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for killer
Noun
More recently, yet another alleged killer in Florida is said to have asked ChatGPT for help getting rid of bodies.
—Maggie Harrison Dupré, Futurism, 29 Apr. 2026
The killer was radicalized online and moved to New Zealand in 2017 with a plan to commit a mass shooting.
—ABC News, 29 Apr. 2026
Using vinegar as a weed killer works best on newer plants.
—Samantha Johnson, Martha Stewart, 29 Apr. 2026
Timing is one of the quieter killers.
—Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for killer
Recent Examples of Synonyms for killer
Noun
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Microplastics have the potential to become a greater headache for an apparel industry too dependent upon plastic fibers.—
Angela Velasquez,
Footwear News,
27 Apr. 2026
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Some journalists draw a line between the government's mounting headaches and its escalating attacks on the messengers of that news.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
27 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The comedy is instead more deadpan, with Rhys playing the flustered straight man against a (sometimes literal) murderer’s row of ensemble members and guest stars.—
Alison Herman,
Variety,
29 Apr. 2026
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And though the local history museum is nothing but artifacts of atrocities (old newspaper report of cannibalism, a murderer’s mask), only Wyck (Stephen Root, great as always) sees anything paranormal in it, and he’s generally written off as a drunk.—
Television Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Little in the past acknowledged his preference for lethal injection between the two methods, sharing concerns over the impacts on corrections officials from participating in a firing squad execution.—
Kevin Fixler
April 29,
Idaho Statesman,
29 Apr. 2026
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But as the data shows, violence is largely concentrated among a small number of individuals and increasingly smaller, yet no less violent and lethal, groups of street gangs and crews.—
Andrew S. Boutros,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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But with the Lightning taking back home-ice advantage with this win and the series shifting back to Tampa, where Cooper will have full control of the matchup, the task becomes that much more difficult for the Suzuki line.—
Arpon Basu,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Tornadoes are extremely difficult to see and confirm at night.—
STAR-TELEGRAM WEATHER BOT,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
26 Apr. 2026
Noun
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He was brought in as competition with Milton for the backup job.—
Jon Machota,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
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When people are priced out of their neighborhoods, they are pushed farther away from their jobs, schools and support systems.—
Ryan von Weller,
The Orlando Sentinel,
26 Apr. 2026
Noun
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And why was the would-be assassin’s body cremated so quickly without an autopsy?—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
25 Apr. 2026
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Caine’s movie comes after Ana de Armas starred in last year’s Ballerina, the first non-Wick standalone title in the franchise, about a young Ruska Roma assassin seeking vengeance for her father.—
Glenn Garner,
Deadline,
25 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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As Operation Midway Blitz began to wind down in the Chicago area last November, federal immigration agents launched a new and deadly surge of enforcement in Minneapolis in December and earlier this year.—
Rick Pearson,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Apr. 2026
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Dehydration can be dangerous and downright deadly, and that's even more true for a senior.—
Aly Walansky,
Travel + Leisure,
27 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Last year, Blackstone President and COO Jon Gray also told new analysts that working hard and being collaborative are essential skills for success in today’s challenging job market.—
Emma Burleigh,
Fortune,
29 Apr. 2026
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These Yiddish phrases have gotten me through many challenging situations.—
Gilda Dangot-Simpkin,
Sun Sentinel,
29 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Killer.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/killer. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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