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
The Biden administration had been proposing for months that Henry, in power since the assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moïse nearly three years ago, lead a political transition toward democratic elections.
—Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 4 Mar. 2025
The Oscars were delayed again in 1968 following the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr.
—Jordan Runtagh, People.com, 2 Mar. 2025
In 2024, Bolsonaro was indicted for participating in a coup plot, which called for the assassination of the president, the vice president, and a supreme-court justice.
—Jay Nordlinger, National Review, 27 Feb. 2025
Curran discussed the Secret Service's investigations into the Butler assassination attempt and the potential shooting at Trump's golf course in a Wednesday interview with Fox News' Sean Hannity.
—David Faris, Newsweek, 27 Feb. 2025
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Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 4 Mar. 2025
The Oscars were delayed again in 1968 following the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr.
—Jordan Runtagh, People.com, 2 Mar. 2025
In 2024, Bolsonaro was indicted for participating in a coup plot, which called for the assassination of the president, the vice president, and a supreme-court justice.
—Jay Nordlinger, National Review, 27 Feb. 2025
Curran discussed the Secret Service's investigations into the Butler assassination attempt and the potential shooting at Trump's golf course in a Wednesday interview with Fox News' Sean Hannity.
—David Faris, Newsweek, 27 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for assassination
Articles Related to assassination
Cite this Entry
“Assassination.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/assassination. Accessed 11 Mar. 2025.
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