suicide

noun

sui·cide | \ ˈsü-ə-ˌsīd

Definition of suicide

(Entry 1 of 3)

1a : the act or an instance of taking one's own life voluntarily and intentionally

b : ruin of one's own interests political suicide

c : apoptosis cell suicide

2 : one that commits or attempts suicide

suicide

adjective

Definition of suicide (Entry 2 of 3)

: of or relating to suicide especially : being or performing a deliberate act resulting in the voluntary death of the person who does it a suicide mission a suicide bomber

suicide

verb

suicided; suiciding

Definition of suicide (Entry 3 of 3)

intransitive verb

: to commit suicide

transitive verb

: to put (oneself) to death

Synonyms Example Sentences Learn More about suicide

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Examples of suicide in a Sentence

Noun

She had thoughts of suicide. Authorities have officially ruled the death a suicide. There were two suicides last year at the university.

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

But signs of suicide can also be subtle and easy to miss, even in close relationships. — Katherine Webb-hehn, al, "Advice for suicide prevention from Alabama public health experts," 15 Sep. 2019 The determination of suicide shocked Andreacchio’s family. — Steve Helling, PEOPLE.com, "Suicide or Murder: Was Christian Andreacchio's Death Self-Inflicted or Was He Killed by a Friend?," 15 Sep. 2019 While there is never a single cause of suicide, the myriad of risk factors can add up. — Melissa Chan, Time, "Veterinarians Face Unique Issues That Make Suicide One of the Profession's Big Worries," 12 Sep. 2019 Then please don’t assume someone who died of suicide via severe depression is going to hell either. — Los Angeles Times, "Another young pastor advocating for mental health dies by suicide," 12 Sep. 2019 Inspired by concerns about high levels of suicide among veterans, the program focuses on those with PTSD or traumatic brain injuries from Nevada and northern California. — Michael Casey And Mike Householder, USA TODAY, "How can veterans cope with PTSD? Some are turning to beekeeping," 11 Sep. 2019 Sunday marked the beginning of National Suicide Prevention Week, a weeklong campaign meant to bring awareness to the warning signs of suicide and teach people about the resources available for people in crisis. — Ben Kesslen, NBC News, "Megachurch pastor Jarrid Wilson, known for his mental health advocacy, dies by suicide," 11 Sep. 2019 Governments and academics have raised red flags about rising rates of suicides among teens that appear to correspond to the increasing popularity of social media. — Kiley Roache, Fortune, "Facebook Will Help Researchers Explore Ways to Use Social Media to Prevent Suicide and Self-Harm," 10 Sep. 2019 Trigger warning: This piece contains mentions of suicide and suicidal thoughts. — Allure, "How to Talk About Suicidal Ideation With Your Therapist and Loved Ones," 9 Sep. 2019

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

Princess Kate has made mental health a central plank of her public work and Curtis, who also wrote Four Weddings and a Funeral, has previously talked about the difficulties for relatives of those who lose someone to suicide. — Simon Perry, PEOPLE.com, "Kate Middleton Quietly Met with Love Actually Director Richard Curtis for This Special Reason," 12 Sep. 2019 Their needs range from panic attacks to suicide attempts. — oregonlive, "Child or teen needs mental health treatment? In Portland area, they face agonizing waits," 10 Sep. 2019 Romance radio star Delilah endured unimaginable heartbreak in recent years, with the loss of her 16-year-old son Sammy to complications from sickle cell anemia in 2012, and her 18-year-old son Zack to suicide in 2017. — Jordan Runtagh, PEOPLE.com, "Radio Host Delilah Says Faith 'Saved My Sanity' After the Death of Two Sons: 'I Choose Joy'," 3 Sep. 2019 Local activists and lawyers say the pain of being left off a preliminary list of citizens and the prospect of being thrown into jail have driven dozens to suicide. — New York Times, "India Plans Big Detention Camps for Migrants. Muslims Are Afraid.," 14 Aug. 2019 The nine-member task force will examine what drives veterans to suicide and search for solutions to a problem that is evident in Alabama. — Mike Cason | Mcason@al.com, al, "Death of Hoover Marine inspires fight against veterans’ suicides," 27 Aug. 2019 Local activists and lawyers say the pain of being left off a preliminary list of citizens and the prospect of being thrown into jail have driven dozens to suicide. — Hari Kumar, BostonGlobe.com, "Making India more Hindu, one test at a time," 17 Aug. 2019 That is, members of society whose will to suicide is stronger than the Bridge’s interventions. — Paula L. Woods, Los Angeles Times, "Review: In Juli Zeh’s ‘Empty Hearts,’ the high price of moral numbness becomes clear," 17 Aug. 2019 Trigger Warning: This post contains references to suicide. — Tamara Fuentes, Seventeen, ""13 Reasons Why" Series Premiere Reportedly Linked to Higher Suicide Rates," 30 Apr. 2019

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