assassination
Americannoun
-
the premeditated act of killing someone suddenly or secretively, especially a prominent person.
The meticulous way in which the journalist's assassination was carried out has led to suspicions that his killers were professionals working for state security.
-
the act of destroying or harming treacherously and viciously.
They went after me with everything they had, engaging in character assassination and in destroying my reputation—a complete fabrication and frame-up.
Other Word Forms
- counterassassination noun
Etymology
Origin of assassination
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Even before Abe's assassination, the Unification Church had drawn controversy with its teachings.
From BBC
Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini and its other founders nearly 50 years ago designed its institutions to survive wars and assassinations.
From BBC
“This was your third attempt at the Lincoln assassination, was it not?” said Treebaun.
From Literature
Kalshi is regulated by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission and says it doesn’t permit bets on wars or assassinations.
From MarketWatch
Kalshi is regulated by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission and says it doesn’t permit bets on wars or assassinations.
From MarketWatch
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
