1
as in nightmares
a situation or state that causes great suffering and unhappiness
this weather is murder on my sinuses
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in homicides
the intentional and unlawful taking of another person's life
arrested for attempting to commit murder
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
as in assassinates
to put to death deliberately
those people made me so mad I felt like I wanted to murder them
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in fumbles
to make or do (something) in a clumsy or unskillful way
we listened in horror as she murdered our favorite song on stage
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 murders
Amanda Lee Myers, USA Today, 1 May 2026
As this increasingly audacious killer develops a devoted following among the city’s powerless, Bishop becomes convinced these murders connect back to SF’s most powerful man, his own father, Lincoln Graves (John Malkovich).
—Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 30 Apr. 2026
The police were patient, monitoring major criminals planning huge drug shipments and murders in real time.
—Ed Caesar, New Yorker, 30 Apr. 2026
The murders of these two beautiful, wonderful, and kind individuals is a great loss to our small community.
—Christine Pelisek, PEOPLE, 30 Apr. 2026
The mystery is not who committed a series of murders in 1950s London but whether there had been a gross miscarriage of justice, as told through one tabloid reporter’s attempt to redeem himself by revealing it.
—Gabrielle Bellot, Literary Hub, 30 Apr. 2026
The behavior of a suspect in the murders of two University of South Florida students from Bangladesh worsened over time from marijuana use, family members told deputies after his arrest three years ago for punching his brother in the face and kicking his mother in the back.
—Mike Schneider, The Orlando Sentinel, 29 Apr. 2026
Jackson, at the time of the murders, was on probation — and Martin was out on bond awaiting trial for an unrelated charge of illegally carrying a firearm.
—Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 29 Apr. 2026
He was arrested a week after Caballero’s body was found, authorities said, and confessed to the three murders.
—Dennis Romero, NBC news, 25 Apr. 2026
Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 26 Mar. 2026
In 1971, a jury in Los Angeles recommended the death penalty for Charles Manson and three female followers for the 1969 Tate-La Bianca murders.
—ABC News, 9 Mar. 2026
Her unscrupulous, power-hungry uncle Claudius (Kôji Yakusho) murders his own brother to become king.
—Carlos Aguilar, Los Angeles Times, 6 Feb. 2026
That’s partly because its senseless violence, inspired by the Manson murders among other grisly homicides, feels all too plausible.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 4 Feb. 2026
Perez, a 63-year-old transient man, was convicted of the child murders from 1992 through 2001 throughout Central and Northern California, the Yolo County District Attorney’s Office announced in a news release.
—Rosalio Ahumada, Sacbee.com, 7 Jan. 2026
Gun murders rare Until Sunday, Australia had decades of proof that tough gun laws can make a country safer with one of the world’s lowest gun homicide rates, per capita.
—Hilary Whiteman, CNN Money, 15 Dec. 2025
At least one of the families of the four victims in the Moscow college student murders plans to sue the nearby university where the man who admitted to the killings attended graduate school.
—Kevin Fixler
november 19, Idaho Statesman, 19 Nov. 2025
He was convicted and sentenced to 14 years in prison, but his guilt came into question in 1982 when investigators connected the Locci and Lo Bianco murders to the 1974, 1981, and 1982 slayings.
—Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 22 Oct. 2025
Noun
In the end the Supreme Court denied Broadnax's appeal based on the rap lyrics, as well as two other appeals based on the jury selection process and on a recent confession to the murders by his cousin.
—Amanda Lee Myers, USA Today, 1 May 2026
As this increasingly audacious killer develops a devoted following among the city’s powerless, Bishop becomes convinced these murders connect back to SF’s most powerful man, his own father, Lincoln Graves (John Malkovich).
—Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 30 Apr. 2026
The police were patient, monitoring major criminals planning huge drug shipments and murders in real time.
—Ed Caesar, New Yorker, 30 Apr. 2026
The murders of these two beautiful, wonderful, and kind individuals is a great loss to our small community.
—Christine Pelisek, PEOPLE, 30 Apr. 2026
The mystery is not who committed a series of murders in 1950s London but whether there had been a gross miscarriage of justice, as told through one tabloid reporter’s attempt to redeem himself by revealing it.
—Gabrielle Bellot, Literary Hub, 30 Apr. 2026
The behavior of a suspect in the murders of two University of South Florida students from Bangladesh worsened over time from marijuana use, family members told deputies after his arrest three years ago for punching his brother in the face and kicking his mother in the back.
—Mike Schneider, The Orlando Sentinel, 29 Apr. 2026
Jackson, at the time of the murders, was on probation — and Martin was out on bond awaiting trial for an unrelated charge of illegally carrying a firearm.
—Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 29 Apr. 2026
He was arrested a week after Caballero’s body was found, authorities said, and confessed to the three murders.
—Dennis Romero, NBC news, 25 Apr. 2026
Verb
Geillis, on her quest to install Bonnie Prince Charlie on the throne, murders her husband as a blood sacrifice and walks through the stones.
—Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 26 Mar. 2026
In 1971, a jury in Los Angeles recommended the death penalty for Charles Manson and three female followers for the 1969 Tate-La Bianca murders.
—ABC News, 9 Mar. 2026
Her unscrupulous, power-hungry uncle Claudius (Kôji Yakusho) murders his own brother to become king.
—Carlos Aguilar, Los Angeles Times, 6 Feb. 2026
That’s partly because its senseless violence, inspired by the Manson murders among other grisly homicides, feels all too plausible.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 4 Feb. 2026
Perez, a 63-year-old transient man, was convicted of the child murders from 1992 through 2001 throughout Central and Northern California, the Yolo County District Attorney’s Office announced in a news release.
—Rosalio Ahumada, Sacbee.com, 7 Jan. 2026
Gun murders rare Until Sunday, Australia had decades of proof that tough gun laws can make a country safer with one of the world’s lowest gun homicide rates, per capita.
—Hilary Whiteman, CNN Money, 15 Dec. 2025
At least one of the families of the four victims in the Moscow college student murders plans to sue the nearby university where the man who admitted to the killings attended graduate school.
—Kevin Fixler
november 19, Idaho Statesman, 19 Nov. 2025
He was convicted and sentenced to 14 years in prison, but his guilt came into question in 1982 when investigators connected the Locci and Lo Bianco murders to the 1974, 1981, and 1982 slayings.
—Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 22 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for murders
Noun
-
The suit also said the attack traumatized other children who witnessed it, which continued to give them nightmares.—
Anthony Thompson,
USA Today,
25 Apr. 2026
-
Strand also said Athena’s sister has required therapy and recently returned after experiencing nightmares about what happened, according to his testimony.—
Christina Coulter,
PEOPLE,
17 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Gary had 28 homicides in 2025, which is a 30% reduction from 40 in 2024.—
Maya Wilkins,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Apr. 2026
-
Investigators also cited a rising number of homicides in Georgia prisons, rising from seven in 2018 to 35 in 2023.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
That assassinates Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, sparking retaliatory attacks by Iran across the Middle East.—
Jill Lawrence,
Mercury News,
7 Mar. 2026
-
Soleimani assassination | Trump orders a drone strike in Iraq that assassinates Qasem Soleimani, an influential Iranian military commander.—
Erin Mansfield,
USA Today,
1 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
If the creditor fumbles the process, then an otherwise valid and collectible debt may be barred.—
Virginia Hammerle,
Dallas Morning News,
8 Mar. 2026
-
Sonny feels like a departure; unlike Bernthal’s mercenaries, Sonny fumbles with his gun, has a bleeding heart, and lays his vulnerabilities bare.—
Rebecca Alter,
Vulture,
24 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Peacock / Peacock Ellerup said the horrors of Heuermann’s reign of terror continue to dominate her waking and sleeping hours.—
David K. Li,
NBC news,
23 Apr. 2026
-
Having witnessed the horrors of Nazi Germany, many older Stasi workers saw the East German state as the answer to creating a just and equitable society.—
Lauren Cassidy,
The Conversation,
22 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
With the Land Rover Terrain Response System offering modes comprising Eco, Dynamic, Grass/Gravel/Snow, Mud & Ruts, Sand, Rock Crawl, and Wade, the tech takes the geographic and meteorological elements and slays them with a flick of a control.—
John Scott Lewinski,
Robb Report,
8 Apr. 2026
-
Shortly after becoming husband and wife, Grace milks another loophole in the hide-and-seek rulebook and slays Titus, thereby sending the rest of the High Council to slaughter at the hands of their demonic overlord, Le Bail.—
Brian Davids,
HollywoodReporter,
23 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The fact that they were not sequestered right from the start blows me away.—
Emily Krauser,
PEOPLE,
1 May 2026
-
Tell them when something blows you away.—
Lauren Schuster,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
29 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
One of his tortures is forcing his prisoners to watch it on repeat.—
Amy Nicholson,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Apr. 2026
-
In that final part of the cycle—the writing part—were torments, perhaps even tortures, but good things happened.—
Jake Lundberg,
The Atlantic,
19 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Murders.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/murders. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
