Noun: assassination u,sa-su'ney-shun
- Murder of a public figure by surprise attack
"The assassination of the president shocked the nation"; "The failed assassination attempt increased security measures"
- An attack intended to ruin someone's reputation
"The political campaign devolved into character assassination rather than policy debates";
- character assassination, blackwash
Derived forms: assassinations
Type of: calumniation, calumny, defamation, execution, hatchet job, murder, obloquy, slaying, traducement
Encyclopedia: Assassination