assassination
5 synonyms for assassination, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — The killing of someone, usually a prominent or public figure, carried out deliberately and often for political motives.
Synonyms
Everyday swaps
Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
How to use assassination
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
political assassination
attempted assassination
assassination plot
Etymology
From "assassinate" plus the suffix "-ion", ultimately from the Arabic term for hashish-users, via medieval tales of killers said to be drugged before their attacks.
Full origin of assassination →Frequently asked questions
What does “assassination” mean?
The word “assassination” means the killing of someone, usually a prominent or public figure, carried out deliberately and often for political motives. In plain terms, the deliberate killing of someone important, usually for political or ideological reasons.
How do you pronounce “assassination”?
“Assassination” is pronounced uh-sas-ih-NAY-shuhn (/əˌsæs.ɪˈneɪ.ʃən/ in IPA).
How do you use “assassination” in a sentence?
Here is “assassination” used in a sentence: “The assassination of the senator shocked the entire country.”
What part of speech is “assassination”?
“Assassination” is a noun.
Where does the word “assassination” come from?
The word “assassination” comes from Arabic. From "assassinate" plus the suffix "-ion", ultimately from the Arabic term for hashish-users, via medieval tales of killers said to be drugged before their attacks.
Is “assassination” a common word?
“Assassination” is a fairly common word in modern English.
What is the difference between assassination and murder?
Assassination specifically refers to the deliberate killing of a prominent or public figure, usually for political motives. Murder is the broader term for any unlawful, deliberate killing, so every assassination is a murder, but not every murder is an assassination.
Does assassination always have a political motive?
Assassination is most often associated with political motives, but the term generally applies to the deliberate killing of any prominent or public figure, which can include motives beyond politics. The key elements are that the killing is deliberate and the target holds public prominence.
Can assassination be used for ordinary, private killings?
No, assassination is reserved for killings of prominent or public figures rather than private individuals. Using it for an ordinary killing would be inaccurate, since the word implies the victim's public status and the deliberate, often politically motivated nature of the act.
