LoginKill vs. Murder vs. Assassinate
These three verbs have similar meaning but they differ in their scope of meaning. Follow the lesson to learn about their differences.
All three verbs mean to cause the death of another person, but there is a difference in their meaning. To 'kill' means to make someone or something die. 'Murder' refers to the crime of deliberately causing someone's death, while 'assassinate' refers to the act of taking the life of an important person. This lesson will discuss these differences in more details.
Difference in Scope
'Kill' is the most general verb among these three. It refer to any act of causing a living being's death, whether a human or an animal. It can be accidental or intentional and does not necessarily involve criminal intent. 'Murder', however, is necessarily intentional and is especially used in the context of discussing the act as a crime. 'Assassinate' is the most specific term among the three and refers to the preplanned act of taking the life of someone in a position of power or influence, often with political or ideological motives. Compare the examples:
The car accident tragically
'Killing' does not involve intentional action.
The snake bite can
She plotted to
'Murder' necessarily involves criminal intent.
The political leader was
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