variants
also hari-kari
as in suicide
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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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Spencer is charged with second-degree murder, which in Arkansas carries a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison.—
Faith Karimi,
CNN Money,
1 Mar. 2026
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Powell was re-charged with first-degree murder in May in a case handled by Chief Deputy District Attorney Courtney Johnston, court filings show.—
Shelly Bradbury,
Denver Post,
1 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Fort Worth police homicide investigators determined a large group of people were gathered in the parking lot outside a warehouse on Northwest 35th Street when a fight broke out and shots were fired early Sunday, police have said.—
Amy McDaniel,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
3 Mar. 2026
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Officers searched the Downtown Commons area near the Yard House restaurant and a Holiday Inn as homicide detectives and crime scene investigators processed the scene.—
Darrell Smith,
Sacbee.com,
3 Mar. 2026
Noun
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When asked about the jewelry shop homicides, the second teen identified Thomas as the driver of the getaway vehicle and identified both Thomas and the nephew in still images before and after the slaying.—
William Lee,
Chicago Tribune,
4 Mar. 2026
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Dimitrios Manessis was arrested Tuesday night and charged with murder and weapon possession for the slaying of 75-year-old retired public school math teacher George Dourdounas earlier that day.—
Nicholas Williams,
New York Daily News,
4 Mar. 2026
Noun
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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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Julia Beverly / Getty Images Police previously stated there was no indication of foul play.—
Christopher Harris,
CBS News,
2 Mar. 2026
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Paramedics pronounced her dead at the scene, and no foul play was suspected.—
Armando Tinoco,
Deadline,
26 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hara-kiri.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hara-kiri. Accessed 6 Mar. 2026.
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