plural murders
1
: the crime of unlawfully and unjustifiably killing a person
an attempted murder
specifically, law
: such a crime committed under circumstances defined by statute
Under Minnesota law, third-degree murder is defined as causing the death of a person "by perpetrating an act eminently dangerous to others and evincing a depraved mind" without regard for life or intent to kill. A conviction on this count carries a prison sentence of up to 25 years. Second-degree murder, according to Minnesota law, is charged when the defendant intentionally kills someone, albeit without preparing to do so ahead of time. (Premeditation would warrant a first-degree murder charge). —
Kaylee McGhee
Kaylee McGhee 2
a
: something very difficult or dangerous
the traffic was murder
carrying the luggage was murder on my back
b
: something outrageous or blameworthy
getting away with murder
3
: a flock of crows
There's a reason the proper term for a flock of them is a murder of crows, and it's not because we like having them around.—Jeffrey Kluger
Jeffrey Kluger
murdered; murdering
ˈmər-d(ə-)riŋ 
; murders
; murders
1
: to kill (a person) unlawfully and unjustifiably with premeditated malice
He was accused/convicted of murdering the missing hiker.
The missing hiker was found murdered.
—sometimes used figurativelyMy father will murder me [=be very angry] when he finds out I dented the car.
2
: to slaughter mercilessly : slay
bombs murdered innocent civilians
3
a
: to put an end to : destroy
… the same man who, if ever he were in power, would … murder truth, freedom, and art …—Budd Schulberg
Budd Schulberg
d
: to defeat badly
The football team murdered their opponents 35-3.
: to commit murder
a charge of armed assault with intent to murder
They murdered for money …—Leonora LaPeter Anton
Leonora LaPeter AntonSynonyms
Examples of murder in a Sentence
Noun
She was accused of murder.
the mass murder of civilians in wartime
a string of unsolved murders
Traffic is murder this time of day.
Verb
He was arrested and accused of murdering his wife.
His wife was found murdered.
a dictator who is responsible for murdering thousands of innocent people
The band murdered that song.
Recent Examples on the Web
Erik Ortiz, NBC News, 7 Nov. 2024
Additionally, authorities say Gonzalez-Nunez associated himself with Norteño gang members who were responsible for murders around the area.
—Nate Gartrell, The Mercury News, 7 Nov. 2024
George Packer, The Atlantic, 5 Nov. 2024
Lambesis infamously spent nearly three years in prison after pleading guilty to soliciting an undercover cop to murder his then-wife and relaunched the band in 2018 after his release from prison.
—Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone, 5 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for murder 
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.
Noun
That changed in February, when the state located the necessary drugs and planned to execute Thomas Creech, who was convicted of five murders in three states.
—Erik Ortiz, NBC News, 7 Nov. 2024
Additionally, authorities say Gonzalez-Nunez associated himself with Norteño gang members who were responsible for murders around the area.
—Nate Gartrell, The Mercury News, 7 Nov. 2024
Verb
The key event of Mann’s conversion came in June, when ultranationalists in Berlin murdered his friend Walther Rathenau, the Weimar Republic’s Jewish foreign minister.
—George Packer, The Atlantic, 5 Nov. 2024
Lambesis infamously spent nearly three years in prison after pleading guilty to soliciting an undercover cop to murder his then-wife and relaunched the band in 2018 after his release from prison.
—Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone, 5 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for murder
Articles Related to murder
Dictionary Entries Near murder
Cite this Entry
“Murder.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/murder. Accessed 23 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
murder
1 of 2 noun
mur·der
ˈmərd-ər
1
: the intentional and unlawful killing of a person
2
: something that is difficult or dangerous
traffic was murder this morning
murder
2 of 2 verb
murdered; murdering
ˈmərd-(ə-)riŋ
1
: to commit murder
2
: to spoil by performing or using poorly
murder a song
murder the English language
murderer
noun
-ər-ər
Legal Definition
murder
1 of 2 noun
mur·der
ˈmər-dər
: the crime of unlawfully and unjustifiably killing another under circumstances defined by statute (as with premeditation)
especially
: such a crime committed purposely, knowingly, and recklessly with extreme indifference to human life or during the course of a serious felony (as robbery or rape) compare cold blood, cooling time, homicide, manslaughter
Note: Self-defense, necessity, and lack of capacity for criminal responsibility (as because of insanity) are defenses to a charge of murder. Most state statutes and the U.S. Code divide murder into two degrees. Florida, Minnesota, and Pennsylvania currently have three degrees of murder. Some states do not assign degrees of murder.
—
depraved-heart murder
\
di-ˈprāvd-ˈhärt-
\
: a murder that is the result of an act which is dangerous to others and shows that the perpetrator has a depraved mind and no regard for human life
Note: Depraved-heart murder is usually considered second- or third-degree murder.
—
felony murder
: a murder that occurs in the commission of a serious felony (as burglary or sexual battery) compare misdemeanor-manslaughter at manslaughter
Note: Felony murder is usually considered first-degree murder. Felony murder does not require specific intent to kill, and an accessory to the felony may also be charged with the murder.
—
first-degree murder
: a murder that is committed with premeditation or during the course of a serious felony (as kidnapping) or that otherwise (as because of extreme cruelty) requires the most serious punishment under the law
—
second-degree murder
: a murder that is committed without premeditation but with some intent (as general or transferred intent) or other circumstances not covered by the first-degree murder statute
—
third-degree murder
: a murder that is not first- or second-degree murder: as
a
: a murder committed in the perpetration of a felony not listed in the first-degree murder statute
b
: depraved-heart murder in this entry
murder
2 of 2 transitive verb
: to kill (a human being) unlawfully and under circumstances constituting murder
: to commit murder
Etymology
Noun
partly from Old English morthor; partly from Old French murdre, of Germanic origin
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share