murderous

[mur-der-uhs]

adjective

1. of the nature of or involving murder.

   a murderous deed.

2. guilty of, bent on, or capable of murder.

3. extremely difficult, dangerous, or unpleasant.

   murderous heat.

murderous

/ ˈmɜːdərəs /

adjective

1. intending, capable of, or guilty of murder

2. informal,  very dangerous, difficult, or unpleasant

   a murderous road

Other Word Forms

• murderously adverb
• murderousness noun
• nonmurderous adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of murderous¹

First recorded in 1525–35; murder + -ous

Example Sentences

Once recovered from the initial shock of the Hamas breakthrough and murderous spree on Oct.

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"If he did, he would have told us what he did, why he did and taken responsibility for his murderous actions," she said.

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So if “Peacemaker” viewers were puzzled as to how a backwards, murderous bigot like Earth Prime Auggie could manifest as a doting father and an affluent man in a nearly identical world, now we know.

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What I learned as the grandchild of those who had fled not one but two murderous ideologies was that free speech was about listening as much as talking.

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Disasters are real — also, these days, frighteningly common, be they epic confluences of nature and negligence or the murderous and preventable kind.

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Related Words

• brutal 
• cruel 
• dangerous 
• deadly 
• destructive 
• devastating 
• ferocious 
• lethal 
• ruinous 
• savage