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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Here’s everything to know about the murder of Chelsea Bruck, including how her Halloween costume led to her killer’s arrest.—
Kelsey Lentz,
PEOPLE,
29 Oct. 2025
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So, on the night after the murder, the town’s streets were filled with anguished cries from the Inuit—wails of loss and pain.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The death of 23-year-old Kada Scott has been ruled a homicide, prompting Philadelphia prosecutors to approve a murder charge Wednesday against the man arrested in her case, and her cause of death has been revealed.—
Doha Madani,
NBC news,
23 Oct. 2025
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Stepheny Price covers crime, including missing persons, homicides and migrant crime.—
Stepheny Price,
FOXNews.com,
23 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Douglas County Sheriff Chris Degase told KY3 that the determination about Harm’s slaying raises disturbing new questions about Revak, an EMT by day.—
KC Baker,
PEOPLE,
24 Oct. 2025
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Each of the three games in this collection feature bloody action that'll keep you entertained with demon and monster slaying for hours.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
21 Oct. 2025
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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Jenkins told the Banner-Herald that no foul play is believed to be involved with her death.—
Abigail Adams,
PEOPLE,
28 Oct. 2025
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Investigators found no evidence of foul play and the case was closed as a non-criminal death investigation, officials said.—
Paloma Chavez,
Sacbee.com,
27 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hara-kiri.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hara-kiri. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.
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