assassination

noun

as·sas·si·na·tion ə-ˌsa-sə-ˈnā-shən

plural assassinations

: 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

: treacherous destruction of a person's reputation

character assassination

Examples of assassination in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

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After the recent assassination attempt on then-presidential candidate Trump at a golf course near Mar-a-Lago, DeSantis contended that Florida should lead the investigation in part because our records laws would enable the public to request information about it. —

Bobby Block, Orlando Sentinel, 9 Feb. 2025 Isa is soon tasked with carrying out an assassination alongside fellow rebel Hazil (played by Kurnia). —

Sara Merican, Deadline, 8 Feb. 2025 Those concerns rose still further that April, when the assassination of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. triggered riots across the country. —

Jonathan Zimmerman, Chicago Tribune, 31 Jan. 2025 The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza’s latest collection features archival NBC 5 footage related to the John F. Kennedy assassination. —

Brayden Garcia, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 30 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for assassination