# killing

/ˈkɪɫɪŋ/ (US) · /kˈɪlɪŋ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/killing
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. the act of causing death

noun · CEFR B1

the act of ending a life, especially in a violent way.

For teachers: the act of causing death; an instance of a person or animal being killed.

- The police are investigating the killing of a local businessman last night.
- The documentary examines the mass killing of migratory birds caused by the sudden expansion of industrial wind farms in the region.

### 2. making a lot of money

noun · CEFR C1 · Informal

a large and sudden profit from a business deal or investment.

For teachers: a sudden, large financial profit, often achieved through a single successful transaction or investment.

- They made a killing when they sold their house during the property boom.
- The hedge fund manager made a killing by shorting the market just before the economic downturn began.

Usage: Usually used in the phrase 'make a killing'.

### 3. deadly or exhausting

adjective · CEFR B2

something that is very tiring or likely to cause death.

For teachers: possessing the power to kill; figuratively used to describe something extremely exhausting or overwhelming.

- The heat in the desert was killing, and we had to stop every hour.
- The soldiers faced a killing frost that threatened to destroy their remaining supplies before the relief column could arrive.

### 4. very funny

adjective · CEFR C2 · Informal · Humorous

extremely funny, so you feel like you cannot stop laughing.

For teachers: extremely amusing or comical; causing uncontrollable laughter.

- The comedian's impression of the president was absolutely killing.
- The irony of the situation was simply killing, though few in the room were brave enough to laugh out loud.

### 5. causing death or pain

verb · CEFR A2

the -ing form of the verb 'kill', used for causing death or causing pain.

For teachers: the present participle of 'kill', used in continuous tenses to describe the act of ending life or causing intense discomfort.

- My feet are killing me after walking around the city all day.
- The report detailed how the invasive species was killing off the native plants at an alarming rate.

## Examples

- He made a killing on the stock market last year.
- The tech startup's founders made a killing when the company was acquired by a global conglomerate.
- While most investors were cautious during the market dip, those who bought early made a killing once the recovery began in earnest.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.