destroy or damage seriously, as of someone's reputation; "He assassinated his enemy's character" murder; especially of socially prominent persons; "Anwar Sadat was assassinated because many people did not like his peace politics with Israel
When someone important is assassinated, they are murdered as a political act. Would the USA be radically different today if Kennedy had not been assassinated? The plot to assassinate Martin Luther King had started long before he was actually killed. + assassination assassinations as·sas·si·na·tion She would like an investigation into the assassination of her husband He lives in constant fear of assassination. to murder an important person