murder

MUR-dur/ˈmɝ.dɚ/UKMUR-duh/ˈmɜːdə(ɹ)/

Pluralmurders (some meanings)

Verbmurders, murdering, murdered

11 meanings of murder

Practice

1
noununcountable
The crime of killing someone on purpose, often after planning it, or one case of such a killing.
He was charged with murder after the long investigation.
Murder carries the harshest penalties in most countries.
UsageSay charged with murder (no a), but a murder for one killing.
Similarhomicide, killing
2
kill a personverbtransitive
To kill a person on purpose and against the law.
He was sent to prison for trying to murder his business partner.
They planned to murder the king and seize the throne.
Similarkill, slay, assassinate
3
painful tasknoununcountable
Something very hard or painful to deal with.
Like having to wait in a very long line in the hot sun.
Sitting through that long meeting was murder.
The traffic this morning was pure murder.
UsageSay something is murder: the traffic was murder.
Similarhell, torture, agony, nightmare
Oppositebreeze, cinch

Less common meanings

4
verbcolloquialfigurativelytransitive
To beat someone very badly in a game or contest.
Like winning a race while the others are still tying their shoes.
If we play like that, we'll murder them on Saturday.
Our team murdered the visitors six to nothing.
UsagePeople say we'll murder them before a game, or they murdered us after losing badly.
Similarcrush, thrash, trounce, annihilate, demolish
Note
5
ruinverbtransitive
To do something so badly that you ruin it.
Like trying to draw something and making a big mess instead.
Please don't murder the song at the party tonight.
The new actors completely murder the famous lines.
UsageYou can say the singer murdered the song to criticize a bad performance.
Similarbutcher, mangle, massacre, ruin, botch
Note
6
group of crowsnouncollectivecountable
A group of crows gathered together.
Like calling a group of wolves a pack.
A murder of crows settled noisily in the bare oak tree.
We watched a murder of crows lift off from the field at dusk.
UsageUsed in a murder of crows. Most people just say a flock of crows.
Note
7
punishverbcolloquialfigurativelytransitive
To get very angry at someone and tell them off, or beat them up.
Like a teacher shouting at a student who broke the rules.
If you scratch my car, my dad will murder me.
Coach is going to murder us for missing practice.
UsageOften will murder me or is going to murder us.
Similarkill, throttle
8
death during crimenoununcountable
In some legal systems, a killing during a serious crime that everyone involved can be blamed for, even if unintended.
Like everyone on a team getting the same penalty when one player breaks a rule.
Even though he fired no shots, the lookout was charged with murder for the clerk's death.
Under this rule, a robbery that ends in a death becomes murder for everyone involved.
Note
9
killernounnonstandardcountable or uncountable
A person who unlawfully kills another person.
UsageSay murderer instead.
Similarkiller
10
eat eagerlyverbcolloquialfigurativelyBritishtransitive
To eat or drink something quickly because you really want it.
Like being so hungry you finish your food in seconds.
I could murder a cup of tea right now.
He came in starving and murdered a whole pizza in minutes.
UsageSay I could murder a cup of tea when you really want one.
Similardevour, demolish, down, wolf
Note
11
noundatedcountable or uncountable
Something really amazing or impressive to see or hear.
Right quick another cat spoke up real loud, saying, “That’s murder man, really murder,” and his eyes were signifying too.
1946, Milton “Mezz” Mezzrow, Bernard WolfeHere, murder means something amazing or very impressive.
Altaira Morbius: [swimming in a pool] Come on in. Commander Adams: I didn't bring my bathing suit. Altaira Morbius: What's a bathing suit? Commander Adams: [quickly turning his back] Oh, murder!
1956, Cyril Hume, Forbidden Planet
Note

Practice

Can you tell the meanings of murder apart? Answer 3 quick questions from this page, or write your own sentence and AI will check it.

Origin

From Old English morþor, meaning a secret or unlawful killing. It goes back to an old Germanic word for death and killing, from a root meaning "to die."

Checked 31 Oct 2026 · 3 facts

Murder derives from Old English morþor, meaning secret or unlawful killing. en.wiktionary.org
The word traces back to a Germanic word meaning death and killing. en.wiktionary.org
The Germanic word derives from a root meaning to die. en.wiktionary.org