assassination
Americannoun
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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.
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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.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has replaced three top officials in charge of his personal security, Seoul said Tuesday, a sign the despot may increasingly fear assassination plots.
From Barron's
Sixty-two years after his assassination, Kennedy remains the country’s most popular modern president, with a 90% approval rating.
From Salon
The centre was named in Kennedy's memory shortly after his assassination.
From BBC
Bicentennial, which followed “a decade of racial tensions, assassinations, scandal, rising inflation, embattled campuses and eroding public trust,” also privileged heritage over history.
From Salon
“Feeding frenzy” and “character assassination” were terms tossed about later, but with Joanna MIA and the investigation continuing, very little concern was expressed for Mr. Jefferies.
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.
