hit man
Americannoun
Etymology
Origin of hit man
An Americanism dating back to 1965–70
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.
"There is no evidence he was a hit man full-time, part-time or any time", he added.
From BBC • Jun. 30, 2025
Yes, 2023’s “John Wick: Chapter 4” seemed like it could be the concluding entry in the hugely popular franchise featuring Keanu Reeves as the legendary — and seemingly indestructible — hit man of few words.
From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 1, 2025
But the one that has most resonated — killed, you might say — has been a gentler, funnier take on the genre that says right up front: The hired hit man is a Hollywood myth.
From Seattle Times • Sep. 13, 2023
The 58-year-old has since starred in the Matrix sequels and as a hit man in the John Wick franchise.
From Washington Post • Mar. 7, 2023
He squeezes the words out of the corner of his mouth like a hit man.
From "The Misfits" by James Howe
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.
