variants
also hari-kari
as in suicide
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Recent Examples of hara-kiri
He was struck by the show’s exploration of hara-kiri, the Japanese ritual suicide.
—
Ruth La Ferla, New York Times, 18 May 2025
When the soldiers, instead of rising up, jeered at him, Mishima killed himself in the classic samurai fashion: performing hara-kiri, or seppuku (as the Japanese more commonly call it), by plunging a sword into his abdomen before a uniformed disciple sliced his head off.
—Ian Buruma, The New Yorker, 6 Jan. 2025
The film depicts the historical ‘Honno-ji Incident’ from 1582, when a key vassal of Oda Nobunaga rose in revolt and caused his master to commit hara-kiri in Kyoto.
—Mark Schilling, Variety, 17 Apr. 2023
Ruth La Ferla, New York Times, 18 May 2025
When the soldiers, instead of rising up, jeered at him, Mishima killed himself in the classic samurai fashion: performing hara-kiri, or seppuku (as the Japanese more commonly call it), by plunging a sword into his abdomen before a uniformed disciple sliced his head off.
—Ian Buruma, The New Yorker, 6 Jan. 2025
The film depicts the historical ‘Honno-ji Incident’ from 1582, when a key vassal of Oda Nobunaga rose in revolt and caused his master to commit hara-kiri in Kyoto.
—Mark Schilling, Variety, 17 Apr. 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hara-kiri
Noun
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Elijah Travis Mackey, 23, was found hiding under a stairwell of a nearby motel and taken into custody, then he was charged with murder, according to the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office.—
Olivia Lloyd,
Miami Herald,
26 May 2025
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Matthew Johnson executed in Texas for murder of beloved grandmother who was set on fire Indiana executes Benjamin Ritchie for young police officer's murder.—
James Powel,
USA Today,
26 May 2025
Noun
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Floyd’s death, which was ruled a homicide, sparked widespread backlash after a video went viral of then-Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin kneeling on Floyd’s neck for nine minutes and 29 seconds on May 25, 2020.—
Deena Zaru,
ABC News,
25 May 2025
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The following day, officials in Hennepin County, Minnesota, ruled Floyd’s death a homicide, codifying what many already sensed: Floyd’s life had been taken, and someone should be held accountable.—
Chelsea Bailey,
CNN Money,
24 May 2025
Noun
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California Serial cat killer suspect arrested, potentially linked to a dozen-plus slayings, authorities say April 23, 2025 Authorities allege that Acosta was also seen by a neighbor grabbing a cat and slamming it over his head April 3.—
Andrew J. Campa,
Los Angeles Times,
22 May 2025
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Citywide, murders are down 26%, with 104 slayings so far this year compared to 140 by this time last year.—
Kerry Burke,
New York Daily News,
22 May 2025
Noun
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But on Wednesday, a grand jury indicted her on the charge of assisting self-murder/manslaughter, a first-degree felony punishable by up to 30 years in prison.—
Frank Fernandez,
USA TODAY,
24 Feb. 2023
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The initial charge of first-degree murder has been reduced to assisting self-murder/manslaughter.—
Frank Fernandez,
USA TODAY,
24 Feb. 2023
Noun
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Police suspect foul play, but power was eventually restored at the festival, which has an independent power supply ready to go.—
Alejandra Gularte,
Vulture,
24 May 2025
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The Sheriff’s Office said in a statement Thursday that detectives do not suspect foul play, pending an autopsy.—
Angie DiMichele,
Sun Sentinel,
15 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hara-kiri.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hara-kiri. Accessed 5 Jun. 2025.
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