Killer — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun adjective /ˈki-lər/ kill·er

Meaning & Definition of Killer

Killer (noun)

  1. one that kills
  2. killer whale
  3. one that has a forceful, violent, or striking impact

Killer (adjective)

  1. strikingly impressive or effective
  2. extremely difficult to deal with; also, causing death or devastation

Killer (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. a dull, unpleasant, or difficult piece of work

    "weeding out that overgrown garden is going to be a killer"

    similar: bear, beast, chore, headache, job, labor
    related: drudgery, grind, heavy lifting, lucubration, effort, strain, sweat, burden, load, weight, bother, nuisance, trouble
    near: breeze, child's play, cinch, duck soup, kid stuff, setup, snap

  2. a person who kills another person

    "gunned down by hired killers"

    similar: assassin, cutthroat, homicide, manslayer, murderer
    related: bravo, hit man, torpedo, triggerman, butcher, executioner, massacrer, slaughterer, slayer, murderess

Killer (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. likely to cause or capable of causing death

    "killer viruses that claimed millions of lives"

    similar: baleful, deadly, deathly, fatal, fell, lethal, mortal, murderous, pestilent, terminal, vital
    related: baneful, deleterious, destructive, harmful, injurious, noxious, pernicious, truculent, infectious, infective, pestilential, poisonous, sublethal, toxic, virulent, dangerous, grave, grievous, hazardous, jeopardizing, menacing, parlous, perilous, risky, serious, threatening, ugly, unhealthy, unsound, bloody, internecine, sanguinary, sanguine
    opposite: healthful, healthy, nonfatal, nonlethal, wholesome
    near: beneficial, restorative, salubrious, salutary, alleviative, corrective, curative, remedial, tonic, advantageous, useful, nonpoisonous, nontoxic, safe

  2. requiring considerable physical or mental effort

    "a killer exercise program guaranteed to whip you into shape"

    similar: arduous, Augean, backbreaking, challenging, demanding, difficult, effortful, exacting, formidable, grueling, hard, heavy, hellacious, herculean, laborious, moiling, murderous, pick-and-shovel, rigorous, rough, rugged, severe, stiff, strenuous, sweaty, tall, testing, toilsome, tough, uphill
    related: abstract, abstruse, complex, complicated, elusive, hairy, insoluble, intricate, involved, knotty, opaque, problematic, recondite, serious, spiny, stubborn, thorny, ticklish, tricky, bruising, burdensome, exhausting, labored, onerous, oppressive, stressful, taxing, tight, trying, annoying, bothersome, distressing, irksome, troublesome, vexatious, grievous, grim, strict, stringent, brutal, cruel, inhuman, painful
    opposite: cheap, easy, effortless, facile, light, mindless, simple, soft, undemanding
    near: achievable, clear, doable, elementary, manageable, uncomplicated, comforting, gentle, painless, relaxed, smooth, soothing, accessible, friendly, idiotproof, user-friendly

Related Entry: Killer instinct (noun)

Killer instinct is a different word from Killer. The synonyms below are for killer instinct, not for killer.

  1. as in ambitiousness, overambitiousness

    similar: ambitiousness, overambitiousness, grit, gumption, pluck, snap, spirit, spunk, starch, assertiveness, self-reliance, action, aggressiveness, ambition, drive, enterprise, go, hustle, initiative, energy, hardihood, pep, vigor, vitality
    opposite: inactivity, inertia, passivity, diffidence, faintheartedness, timidity, hesitation, reluctance, indolence, laziness, lethargy

Related Entry: Lady-killer (noun)

Lady-killer is a different word from Killer. The synonyms below are for lady-killer, not for killer.

  1. as in lover, paramour

    similar: amorist, gallant, ladies' man, lover, paramour, Romeo, Casanova, Don Juan, lecher, lothario, lounge lizard, masher, philanderer, satyr, wolf, womanizer, debaucher, romancer, seducer, whoremaster, whoremonger

Related Entry: Time killer (noun)

Time killer is a different word from Killer. The synonyms below are for time killer, not for killer.

  1. as in escape, pastime

    similar: escape, pastime, delight, distraction, diversion, divertissement, entertainment, fun, pleasure, recreation, binge, fling, frolic, gambol, lark, revel, rollick, romp, spree, frolicking, rollicking, carousing, conviviality, festivity, gaiety, hilarity, jollification, jollity, merrymaking, reveling, revelry, whoopee, picnic, laugh, riot, scream, activity, game
    opposite: bore, bummer, downer, drag, killjoy, party pooper

Related Entry: Painkiller (noun)

Painkiller is a different word from Killer. The synonyms below are for painkiller, not for killer.

  1. something (as a drug) that relieves pain

    "after her oral surgery, she was given a prescription for a mild painkiller"

    similar: analgesic, anesthetic, anodyne
    related: sedative, tranquilizer, narcotic, opiate

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Killer

The most common words with a similar meaning to Killer:

bear, beast, chore, headache, job, labor, assassin, cutthroat, homicide, manslayer, murderer, baleful, deadly, deathly, fatal, fell, lethal, mortal, murderous, pestilent, terminal, vital, arduous, Augean, backbreaking, challenging, demanding, difficult, effortful, exacting, formidable, grueling, hard, heavy, hellacious, herculean, laborious, moiling, pick-and-shovel, rigorous

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Killer

Words with the opposite meaning of Killer:

healthful, healthy, nonfatal, nonlethal, wholesome, cheap, easy, effortless, facile, light, mindless, simple, soft, undemanding

Related Words for Killer

drudgery, grind, heavy lifting, lucubration, effort, strain, sweat, burden, load, weight, bother, nuisance, trouble, bravo, hit man, torpedo, triggerman, butcher, executioner, massacrer, slaughterer, slayer, murderess, baneful, deleterious, destructive, harmful, injurious, noxious, pernicious

Near Antonyms of Killer

breeze, child's play, cinch, duck soup, kid stuff, setup, snap, beneficial, restorative, salubrious, salutary, alleviative, corrective, curative, remedial, tonic, advantageous, useful, nonpoisonous, nontoxic, safe, achievable, clear, doable, elementary, manageable, uncomplicated, comforting, gentle, painless

Origin & Etymology of Killer

First known use: 15th century

Words & Phrases Containing Killer

killer whale, killer app, killer bee, killer cell, killer instinct, killer T cell, lady-killer, natural killer cell

Frequently Asked Questions about Killer

What does "Killer" mean?

"Killer" means one that kills. As an a noun and an adjective, it is defined as: one that kills. It has 4 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Killer"?

Other words for "Killer" include bear, beast, chore, headache, job, labor, assassin and cutthroat. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Killer" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Killer"?

There are 148 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Killer". Common alternatives include bear, beast, chore, headache, job, labor, assassin, cutthroat, homicide and manslayer.

What is the opposite of "Killer"?

Antonyms of "Killer" include healthful, healthy, nonfatal, nonlethal, wholesome, cheap, easy and effortless. Near antonyms include breeze, child's play, cinch and duck soup.

How do you use "Killer" in a sentence?

Examples of "Killer" in a sentence: "weeding out that overgrown garden is going to be a killer"; "gunned down by hired killers"; "killer viruses that claimed millions of lives".

Is "Killer" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Killer" can be used as a noun and an adjective, depending on the context.

How do you pronounce "Killer"?

"Killer" is pronounced /ˈki-lər/ and divided into syllables as kill·er.

What is the origin of the word "Killer"?

First known use: 15th century.