assassination
noun
as·sas·si·na·tion
ə-ˌsa-sə-ˈnā-shən 
plural assassinations
1
: murder by sudden or secret attack often for political reasons : the act or an instance of assassinating someone (such as a prominent political leader)
the assassination of Abraham Lincoln
an assassination attempt
In medieval days, assassination by poisoning was common enough to alarm many a king, and protection was sought in the form of prayers, food tasters and science.—
The New York Times
The New York Times2
: treacherous destruction of a person's reputation
character assassination
Examples of assassination in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Advocates for open government have long complained that the push for secrecy goes too far, by protecting information that could shine a light on government activities or matters of public interest, including about UFO sightings and a 60-year-old presidential assassination.
—David Klepper, Los Angeles Times, 29 Mar. 2025
Vucci took a renowned and widely distributed photo of Trump immediately after an assassination attempt in Pennsylvania last summer; in court, Tobin held up a book published by Trump's allies that depicted the same photo on its cover.
—Arkansas Online, 28 Mar. 2025
The assassination attempt on Trump, and the media coverage that followed, is believed to have marked a turning point in the presidential campaign that would shape not only the election to come, but also the United States’ political future.
—Alan Taylor, The Atlantic, 27 Mar. 2025
The Unification Church in Japan was ordered dissolved by a court Tuesday after a government request spurred by the investigation into the 2022 assassination of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
—arkansasonline.com, 26 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for assassination
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
David Klepper, Los Angeles Times, 29 Mar. 2025
Vucci took a renowned and widely distributed photo of Trump immediately after an assassination attempt in Pennsylvania last summer; in court, Tobin held up a book published by Trump's allies that depicted the same photo on its cover.
—Arkansas Online, 28 Mar. 2025
The assassination attempt on Trump, and the media coverage that followed, is believed to have marked a turning point in the presidential campaign that would shape not only the election to come, but also the United States’ political future.
—Alan Taylor, The Atlantic, 27 Mar. 2025
The Unification Church in Japan was ordered dissolved by a court Tuesday after a government request spurred by the investigation into the 2022 assassination of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
—arkansasonline.com, 26 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for assassination
Cite this Entry
“Assassination.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/assassination. Accessed 2 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share