suicidal ideation

noun

: the act of thinking about or a state of preoccupation with ending one's own life : the act of considering or planning suicide

He had been hospitalized several times for depression and suicidal ideation: the previous summer he had checked himself into a hospital in Laramie.

—Melanie Thernstrom

Alleviating gender dysphoria and aligning gender expression with identity through these treatments can lower stress, reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety, and significantly lessen suicidal ideation.

—Orion Rummler

Examples of suicidal ideation in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

On at least six other occasions, detainees attempted to harm themselves while expressing suicidal ideations that resulted in 911 calls, according to records from the city of El Paso obtained under the Texas public information law. —Morgan Lee, Los Angeles Times, 8 Mar. 2026

In addition to delusions and mania, the study found an increase in suicidal ideation and self-harm, disordered eating behaviors, and obsessive-compulsive symptoms. —Catherina Gioino, Fortune, 7 Mar. 2026

In addition to those cases, detainees attempted to harm themselves while expressing suicidal ideations on at least six other occasions that resulted in 911 calls, according to records from the City of El Paso obtained under the Texas public information law. —ABC News, 6 Mar. 2026

Research indicates that these conversations may actually reduce suicidal ideations in at-risk groups. —Sam Manzella, Flow Space, 5 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1949, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for suicidal ideation

• acclimatisation
• acclimatization
• acidification
• actualization
• annualization
• autocorrelation
• autoregulation
• beatification
• beneficiation
• biodegradation
• biotransformation
• bureaucratization

Medical Definition

suicidal ideation

noun

: the act of thinking about or a state of preoccupation with ending one's own life : the act of considering or planning suicide

Depression appears to be one of the strongest predictors of suicidal ideation but does not appear to distinguish those who have attempted suicide from those who have experienced suicidal ideation without attempts.

—E. David Klonsky et al., Annual Review of Clinical Psychology

Burnout among medical students seems to be an important predictor of subsequent suicidal ideation even without symptoms of depression.

—Liselotte N. Dyrbye et al., Annals of Internal Medicine