killer

1 of 2

noun

kill·​er ˈki-lər How to pronounce killer (audio)
1
: one that kills
2
3
a
: one that has a forceful, violent, or striking impact
b
: one that is extremely difficult to deal with

killer

2 of 2

adjective

1
: strikingly impressive or effective
a killer smile
a killer résumé
2
: extremely difficult to deal with
a killer fastball
also : causing death or devastation
a killer tornado

Examples of killer in a Sentence

Noun Heart disease is the leading killer of both men and women. The chemical is used as a weed killer. Adjective killer viruses that claimed millions of lives a killer exercise program guaranteed to whip you into shape
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Think of Anthony Hopkins' greatest performances — there are many, of course — and a certain serial killer might come to mind. Gerrad Hall, EW.com, 12 Mar. 2024 Keaton plays a contract killer who has a rapidly evolving form of dementia and is offered an opportunity to redeem himself by saving the life of his estranged adult son. Andrew Torgan, CNN, 10 Mar. 2024 The storied building opened in the 1920s as a luxury hotel but later became the site of a string of deadly incidents, including several murders, suicides and overdoses, as well as the home of notorious serial killers. Grace Toohey, Los Angeles Times, 9 Mar. 2024 In the fall of 2006, a serial killer hunted women in Atlantic City, and at least four women — Kim Raffo, Barbara Breidor, Molly Dilts and Tracy Ann Roberts — lost their lives. Chris Eberhart, Fox News, 9 Mar. 2024 He’s also been a strong penalty killer, and Bednar acknowledged that Walker’s presence could allow the Avs to play Cale Makar less in that phase of the game. Corey Masisak, The Denver Post, 7 Mar. 2024 Covid has been transformed from a society-shaking killer to a more manageable health issue. Peter Baker, New York Times, 6 Mar. 2024 Anderson said that Martin also watched the TV show Dexter, which features a serial killer who dismembered his victims, per the statement. Samira Asma-Sadeque, Peoplemag, 6 Mar. 2024 But unlike other big killers — diseases like cancer and HIV or dangers like automobile crashes and cigarettes — sparse federal money goes to studying or preventing it. Christine Spolar, NPR, 6 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'killer.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1951, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of killer was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near killer

Cite this Entry

“Killer.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/killer. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

killer

1 of 2 noun
ˈkil-ər
1
: one that kills
2

killer

2 of 2 adjective
1
: strikingly impressive or effective
a killer smile
2
: extremely difficult
a killer exam
also : causing death or devastation
a killer tornado

More from Merriam-Webster on killer

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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