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Synonyms

killing

American  
[kil-ing] / ˈkɪl ɪŋ /

noun

  1. the act of a person or thing that kills.

  2. the total game killed on a hunt.

  3. Informal. a quick and unusually large profit or financial gain.

    We would all like to win the lottery or make a killing in the stock market.

adjective

  1. fatal; deadly.

    Tuberculosis was a killing disease well into the 20th century, and society found itself with few remedies.

  2. exhausting.

    An ever-expanding workload is imperceptible at first, but eventually we're operating at a killing pace.

  3. Informal. irresistibly funny.

  4. Slang. very attractive or fascinating.

    The actress is known for her outstanding beauty and killing smile.
killing British  
/ ˈkɪlɪŋ /

adjective

  1. informal very tiring; exhausting

    a killing pace

  2. informal extremely funny; hilarious

  3. causing death; fatal

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

noun

  1. the act of causing death; slaying

  2. informal a sudden stroke of success, usually financial, as in speculations on the stock market (esp in the phrase make a killing )

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • killingly adverb
  • self-killing adjective
  • unkilling adjective

Etymology

Origin of killing

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English killing(e), kyllyng(e) (gerund); kill 1, -ing 1, -ing 2

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.

Vescovi told Moss the killing looked like self-defense.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 5, 2026

The federal trial of Luigi Mangione in the killing of healthcare CEO Brian Thompson has been delayed further to January 2027, according to court documents filed on Thursday.

From Barron's • Apr. 3, 2026

Although the snakes use their venom when defending themselves, studies have shown that the chemical nature of snake venom is primarily suited for killing its prey, such a rodents, she said.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 1, 2026

A 12-year-old girl with a love of punk rock becomes entangled in the case of a local killing.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 31, 2026

“Get me a couple of aspirins, mijo. My head is killing me,” he said, covering his head with both hands.

From "Breaking Through" by Francisco Jiménez

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.