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 National Archives has over the last three decades made material related to Kennedy's assassination available to the public, with the latest batch disclosed in August 2023.
—Melissa Quinn, CBS News, 17 Mar. 2025
Days after Trump survived an assassination attempt in July, Farage flew to the United States on a mission funded by a wealthy Reform donor.
—Helen Lewis, The Atlantic, 16 Mar. 2025
Musk, who had largely shied away from the political world in the past, endorsed Trump’s reelection bid in July after the president survived an apparent assassination attempt at a campaign rally.
—Elizabeth Crisp, The Hill, 12 Mar. 2025
The turbulent decade that saw the Cuban Missile Crisis, President John F. Kennedy’s and Martin Luther King’s assassination, and the Vietnam War meant that home viewers were more open to escapism and entertainment that would whisk them away from the world's horrors.
—Jeff Spry, Space.com, 11 Mar. 2025
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Melissa Quinn, CBS News, 17 Mar. 2025
Days after Trump survived an assassination attempt in July, Farage flew to the United States on a mission funded by a wealthy Reform donor.
—Helen Lewis, The Atlantic, 16 Mar. 2025
Musk, who had largely shied away from the political world in the past, endorsed Trump’s reelection bid in July after the president survived an apparent assassination attempt at a campaign rally.
—Elizabeth Crisp, The Hill, 12 Mar. 2025
The turbulent decade that saw the Cuban Missile Crisis, President John F. Kennedy’s and Martin Luther King’s assassination, and the Vietnam War meant that home viewers were more open to escapism and entertainment that would whisk them away from the world's horrors.
—Jeff Spry, Space.com, 11 Mar. 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 23 Mar. 2025.
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