The term "hit man" refers to an individual who carries out assassinations or murders for money. However, there are several other terms that can be used to refer to this kind of criminal, including contract killer, assassin, hired gun, hired killer, gunman, and professional killer. Each term emphasizes different aspects of the illegal activity, with "contract killer" often used to denote the contractual nature of the murder, while "assassin" has more of an international connotation. Despite differences in terminology, the activity itself remains illegal and extremely dangerous, often resulting in lifelong imprisonment or even capital punishment for those caught and convicted.