WordLens

assassinate

1 of 1verb
/əˈsæsəneɪt/
Forms:assassinates,assassinating,assassinated,assassinated
1

to harm or ruin someone or something in a sudden, deceitful, or underhanded way

transitive
  • His reputation was assassinated by false accusations in the press.
  • The writer felt her character had been assassinated by harsh reviews.
  • The political campaign tried to assassinate their opponent's credibility.
  • Rumors spread to assassinate the company's standing in the industry.
  • The company's rivals plotted to assassinate its chances of winning the bid.
2

to murder a prominent figure in a sudden attack, usually for political purposes

C1transitive
  • The secret agent was hired to assassinate the political leader during the summit.
  • A lone gunman attempted to assassinate the president during the public event.
  • In the historical account, a plot was uncovered to assassinate the king.
  • The skilled sniper successfully assassinated the prime minister without being detected.
  • The group of rebels conspired to assassinate the ruling monarch.