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

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."

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 notes

In plain EnglishTo murder a prominent person deliberately, or (figuratively) to destroy someone's reputation.

Common pairings

assassinate the president assassinate someone's character

Word forms

assassinated past tense, assassinates plural, assassinates singular

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The president was _____ during a public parade.

Etymology

From assassin plus the suffix -ate, following the pattern of French assassiner.

Origin: French

Rhymes for assassinate

ate date rate mate fate abate slate plate state grate create update

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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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Words with French origins