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suicidal

adjective
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sui·​cid·​al | \ ˌsü-ə-ˈsī-dᵊl How to pronounce suicidal (audio) \

Definition of suicidal

1a : dangerous especially to life
b : destructive to one's own interests
2 : relating to or of the nature of suicide
3 : marked by an impulse to commit suicide
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Other Words from suicidal

suicidally adverb

Examples of suicidal in a Sentence

psychiatrists working with suicidal patients He knows that supporting a tax increase would be politically suicidal.
Recent Examples on the Web Mental health advocates, including Ben’s parents, say suicide prevention starts there: asking if someone is suicidal. — oregonlive, "One family’s mental wellness story: Ask the question," 10 Sep. 2019 If you or someone in your life is suicidal, the AFSP suggests calling or texting the Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255. — Chevall Pryce, Houston Chronicle, "Foundation educates Cy-Fair community about suicide prevention," 30 Aug. 2019 If someone is suicidal, officers can take them to a hospital for a mental health evaluation and at least temporarily confiscate any weapons on or around them, Howard said. — Jennifer Emily, Dallas News, "What can Texas cops do when a gun and its legal but troubled owner raise alarm?," 11 Aug. 2019 The theory is a cellmate can provide company to someone who may be suicidal, helping them stave off depression, and can also alert guards in an emergency. — Katie Benner, BostonGlobe.com, "Before jail suicide, Jeffrey Epstein was left alone and not closely monitored," 11 Aug. 2019 The man, 43, appeared to be having a mental breakdown and was suicidal, according to the Sheriff’s Office. — oregonlive.com, "Man arrested after pointing gun at deputies, Clark County sheriff’s officials say," 1 Aug. 2019 Clark County officers responded to a call from the Charlestown Police Department around noon about a missing person who officers believed was suicidal and had a handgun. — Sarah Ladd, The Courier-Journal, "Man dies after police shooting in Southern Indiana," 16 July 2019 City officials also had to consider liability when telling a suicidal caller to hold on the line. — oregonlive, "Portland aims to dispatch better first responders for homelessness calls," 14 Sep. 2019 Instead of a morally complex thriller about a desperate man on a suicidal quest to give his wife and child a better life, viewers were treated to a tacky sci-fi adventure filled with cartoonish villains and cheesy one-liners. — Matthew Chernov, chicagotribune.com, "10 Stephen King films that deserve remakes," 5 Sep. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'suicidal.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of suicidal

1777, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

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Statistics for suicidal

Last Updated

27 Oct 2019

Time Traveler for suicidal

The first known use of suicidal was in 1777

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More Definitions for suicidal

suicidal

adjective
How to pronounce suicidal (audio)

English Language Learners Definition of suicidal

: wanting to kill yourself : showing a desire to kill yourself
: extremely dangerous : likely to cause your death : likely to cause great harm to yourself

See the full definition for suicidal in the English Language Learners Dictionary

suicidal

adjective
sui·​cid·​al | \ ˌsü-ə-ˈsīd-ᵊl How to pronounce suicidal (audio) \

Medical Definition of suicidal

1 : of, relating to, or tending to cause suicide suicidal tendencies
2 : marked by an impulse to commit suicide suicidal patients

Other Words from suicidal

suicidally \ -​ᵊl-​ē How to pronounce suicidally (audio) \ adverb

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More from Merriam-Webster on suicidal

Rhyming Dictionary: Words that rhyme with suicidal

Spanish Central: Translation of suicidal

Nglish: Translation of suicidal for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of suicidal for Arabic Speakers

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