murderous

murderous — adjective

1. showing a strong intention or tendency to kill someone; extremely violent and da

1.形容詞B2
釋義

showing a strong intention or tendency to kill someone; extremely violent and dangerous, as if ready to commit murder.

例句

The detective found a murderous weapon hidden inside the old wardrobe.

collocation: murderous weapon

Quinn's murderous glare made everyone in the room fall silent.

collocation: murderous glare / murderous look

同義詞
  • deadly

    focuses on the ability to cause death rather than the intent to kill

  • savage

    emphasises wild, brutal violence and lack of control

  • bloodthirsty

    suggests enjoyment or eagerness to kill

  • ferocious

    stresses extreme fierceness and aggression

反義詞
  • gentle

    the opposite of violent or aggressive

  • harmless

    the opposite of dangerous or threatening

用法筆記

Common in crime reporting, thriller narratives, and descriptions of hostile facial expressions or crowd behaviour. Frequently used to describe a person's look (glare, stare, eyes), intent, or violent actions rather than inanimate objects, though 'murderous weapon' appears as a legal or journalistic term.

常見錯誤

❌He picked up a murderous knife.
✅He had a murderous look in his eyes.
💡murderous describes human intention or behaviour, not tools themselves (except the set phrase 'murderous weapon').

2. extremely difficult, unpleasant, or severe — used in an exaggerated way to descr

2.形容詞C1
釋義

extremely difficult, unpleasant, or severe — used in an exaggerated way to describe a bad situation, difficult task, or uncomfortable physical condition such as heat or pain.

例句

The hikers struggled through the murderous heat of the desert afternoon.

collocation: murderous heat

Christopher faced a murderous workload just days before the deadline.

collocation: murderous workload

同義詞
  • dreadful

    less intense, more general; suitable for any unpleasant situation

  • hellish

    stronger and similarly informal; suggests unbearable suffering

  • atrocious

    more formal; suggests very poor quality as well as unpleasantness

反義詞
  • mild

    opposite of severe, used for weather and pain

  • pleasant

    general opposite of unpleasant

用法筆記

Used informally and hyperbolically — the speaker does not literally mean murder is involved. Common with weather (heat, humidity, cold), physical pain, workloads, schedules, and difficult exams or tasks. Less common with food, people, or abstract concepts.

常見錯誤

❌The soup was murderous.
✅The humidity was murderous today.
💡murderous typically describes physical conditions or difficult tasks, not food flavours or textures.