killing
Americannoun
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the act of a person or thing that kills.
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the total game killed on a hunt.
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Informal. a quick and unusually large profit or financial gain.
We would all like to win the lottery or make a killing in the stock market.
adjective
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Tuberculosis was a killing disease well into the 20th century, and society found itself with few remedies.
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exhausting.
An ever-expanding workload is imperceptible at first, but eventually we're operating at a killing pace.
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Informal. irresistibly funny.
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Slang. very attractive or fascinating.
The actress is known for her outstanding beauty and killing smile.
adjective
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informal very tiring; exhausting
a killing pace
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informal extremely funny; hilarious
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causing death; fatal
noun
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the act of causing death; slaying
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informal a sudden stroke of success, usually financial, as in speculations on the stock market (esp in the phrase make a killing )
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of killing
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English killing(e), kyllyng(e) (gerund); see kill 1, -ing 1, -ing 2
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The parasite eggs migrate to the rodents' livers and develop into cysts, eventually weakening or killing the animals.
From Science Daily • Jun. 11, 2026
The scientists highlighted that both neurotoxins had been banned for use as agricultural pesticides in the UK in 2017 and 2018 respectively, due to evidence they were killing off bees, butterflies and other pollinators.
From BBC • Jun. 10, 2026
A 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck the southern Philippines on Monday, killing at least one person, collapsing buildings, and sparking tsunami warnings across the region.
From Barron's • Jun. 8, 2026
But when it was time to vote, another female Republican state lawmaker made a motion that ultimately succeeded at killing the bill in committee.
From Salon • Jun. 8, 2026
Three weeks later, Hitler signed an order that officially halted the killing.
From "Hitler Youth: Growing Up in Hitler's Shadow" by Susan Campbell Bartoletti
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
