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

Paramount's "The Running Man," a new take on Stephen King's dystopian novel about a murderous game show, opened in second place with $17 million in ticket sales in the United States and Canada.

Read more on Barron's

He added he was "briefed by eyewitnesses to the murderous terrorist attacks by Hamas, Hezbollah, Iran and the Houthis".

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But officials said that "terrorists attack all who reject their murderous ideology - Muslims, Christians and those of no faith alike".

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Apparently, intentions—particularly of the sectarian and often murderous kind—may matter somewhat more in Syria than the authors allow.

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If there were a way to ensure that train travelers wouldn’t become the victims of the murderous rampage of a madman like Mr. Ferguson, somebody would have come up with it by now.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

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