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
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
These heavy duty packing cubes come in at a killer price ($15 for the 5-liter and $20 for the 10-liter) and definitely delivered in terms of packability and durability. Joe Jackson, Outside Online, 14 Nov. 2024 Active listening isn’t just about sitting there while someone talks, waiting for your turn to jump in with a killer rebuttal, said Coleman. Andrea Kane, CNN, 5 Nov. 2024 Nicolas Cage and Maika Monroe’s serial killer thriller Longlegs is going for Oscar gold and other awards season accolades. Tim Lammers, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024 The jokes just aren’t funny enough — though there is one killer line about Shehzada, which was one of Aaryan’s major flops — and the scares aren’t terrifying enough. Anupama Chopra, The Hollywood Reporter, 5 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for killer 

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 25 Nov. 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
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!