Synonyms/Hypernyms (Ordered by Estimated Frequency) of noun assassination

2 senses of assassination

Sense 1
character assassination, assassination, blackwash -- (an attack intended to ruin someone's reputation)
       => defamation, calumny, calumniation, obloquy, traducement, hatchet job -- (a false accusation of an offense or a malicious misrepresentation of someone's words or actions)

Sense 2
assassination -- (murder of a public figure by surprise attack)
       => murder, slaying, execution -- (unlawful premeditated killing of a human being by a human being)