assassinate
verb
as·sas·si·nate
ə-ˈsa-sə-ˌnāt 
assassinated; assassinating
1
: to murder (a usually prominent person) by sudden or secret attack often for political reasons
a plot to assassinate the governor
2
: to injure or destroy unexpectedly and treacherously
assassinate a man's character
Synonyms
Examples of assassinate in a Sentence
They discovered a secret plot to assassinate the governor.
President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in 1963.
Recent Examples on the Web
The nation failed to live up to the ideals expressed by Lincoln, who was assassinated the following month.
—
Reading (pa.) Eagle Editorial Board, Orlando Sentinel, 4 July 2024
Her example of a president ordering Seal Team 6 to assassinate a political rival (a hypothetical that came up during oral arguments) would seem highly unlikely.
—Baltimore Sun Editorial Board, Baltimore Sun, 3 July 2024
One question that has loomed over this case for months is whether presidential immunity is so broad that the president could order the military to assassinate a political rival.
—Ian Millhiser, Vox, 1 July 2024
At the end of the war, Campbell was arrested on suspicion of being part of the plot to assassinate Lincoln.
—Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 1 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for assassinate 
Reading (pa.) Eagle Editorial Board, Orlando Sentinel, 4 July 2024
Her example of a president ordering Seal Team 6 to assassinate a political rival (a hypothetical that came up during oral arguments) would seem highly unlikely.
—Baltimore Sun Editorial Board, Baltimore Sun, 3 July 2024
One question that has loomed over this case for months is whether presidential immunity is so broad that the president could order the military to assassinate a political rival.
—Ian Millhiser, Vox, 1 July 2024
At the end of the war, Campbell was arrested on suspicion of being part of the plot to assassinate Lincoln.
—Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 1 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for assassinate
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'assassinate.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near assassinate
Cite this Entry
“Assassinate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/assassinate. Accessed 15 Jul. 2024.
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assassinate
verb
as·sas·si·nate
ə-ˈsas-ᵊn-ˌāt
assassinated; assassinating
: to murder a usually important person by a surprise or secret attack
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