verb
Uncommon
assassinate
uh-SA-sih-nayt
Assassinate (verb) means to murder someone, especially a prominent or political figure, typically in a planned or sudden attack. Example: “The president was assassinated during a public parade.”
verb
1
To murder someone, especially a prominent or political figure, typically in a planned or sudden attack.
"The president was assassinated during a public parade."
"Rebels plotted to assassinate the general."
2
To severely damage someone's reputation through slander or vicious criticism.
"The tabloid tried to assassinate her character with false rumors."
How to use assassinate
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo murder a prominent person deliberately, or (figuratively) to destroy someone's reputation.
Common pairings
assassinate the president
assassinate someone's character
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Word forms
- Plural
- assassinates
- Third person singular
- assassinates
- Past tense
- assassinated
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The president was _____ during a public parade.
Etymology
From assassin plus the suffix -ate, following the pattern of French assassiner.
Rhymes for assassinate
See all rhymes for assassinate →Frequently asked questions
What does “assassinate” mean?
The word “assassinate” means to murder someone, especially a prominent or political figure, typically in a planned or sudden attack. In plain terms, to murder a prominent person deliberately, or (figuratively) to destroy someone's reputation.
How do you pronounce “assassinate”?
“Assassinate” is pronounced uh-SA-sih-nayt (/əˈsæs(ə)nˌeɪt/ in IPA).
How do you use “assassinate” in a sentence?
Here is “assassinate” used in a sentence: “The president was assassinated during a public parade.”
What part of speech is “assassinate”?
“Assassinate” is a verb.
Where does the word “assassinate” come from?
The word “assassinate” comes from French. From assassin plus the suffix -ate, following the pattern of French assassiner.
Is “assassinate” a common word?
“Assassinate” is an uncommon word in modern English.
How many meanings does “assassinate” have?
“Assassinate” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: to murder someone, especially a prominent or political figure, typically in a planned or sudden attack.
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