hara-kiri

noun

variants also hari-kari
Definition of hara-kirinext
as in suicide

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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 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
  1. murder
  2. homicide
  3. slaying
  4. self-murder
  5. foul play
Noun
  • The judge presiding over the case of Jorge Barahona, charged with the brutal murder of his daughter, said Barahona must be prepared to go to trial — or to reach a plea deal.
    — Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 8 Sep. 2026
  • Clancy was charged with three counts of murder for the 2023 deaths of her three children in Massachusetts.
    — Andy Rose, CNN Money, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of murder
Noun
  • And one police chief in Washington state said that since installing Flock, his city of Lakewood has experienced a rare 15-month stretch without a homicide.
    — The Week US, TheWeek, 8 Sep. 2026
  • Baltimore police have arrested a man in connection with a homicide that happened on August 20.
    — Michelle Richardson, CBS News, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of homicide
Noun
  • Prosecutors accused him of being the mastermind of the slaying and having ordered and paid for it.
    — Kevin Schembri Orland, Los Angeles Times, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Another man, Vincent Muscat, pleaded guilty in 2021 for his role in the slaying, and was sentenced to 15 years in prison.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of slaying
Noun
  • She is charged with first-degree murder and assisting self-murder, which in Florida is treated like a manslaughter offense.
    — Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 30 June 2026
  • She has been charged with first-degree murder and assisting self-murder, a second-degree felony in Florida punishable by a maximum of 15 years in prison.
    — Rafael Olmeda, Sun Sentinel, 29 June 2026
Definition of self-murder
Noun
  • Oakley said there were no obvious signs of foul play or trauma.
    — Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Police said there does not appear to be any indication of foul play and that the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office was notified.
    — Jeramie Bizzle, CBS News, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of foul play

Browse Nearby Words

haps
hara-kiri
hara-kiris
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Cite this Entry

“Hara-kiri.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hara-kiri. Accessed 10 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on hara-kiri

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about hara-kiri

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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