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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Ernest attempts to identify which of the hostages is guilty of the murder and the attempted heist.—
Sandra Dallas,
Denver Post,
19 Apr. 2026
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Two men were found guilty Saturday night in the murder of a Highland Park man, who was beaten to death in a 2022 fight along the Lake Michigan shoreline.—
Clifford Ward,
Chicago Tribune,
19 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The suspect has been charged with first- and third-degree assault for the incident, but charges are expected to be amended by the Hennepin County Attorney's Office to include homicide.—
WCCO Staff,
CBS News,
15 Apr. 2026
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The seven defendants are charged with culpable homicide, a crime similar to involuntary manslaughter that alleges that the accused were aware that their reckless conduct posed a risk and failed to prevent it.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
14 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Prosecutors did not reveal a possible motive for the slaying.—
Madeline Buckley,
Chicago Tribune,
14 Apr. 2026
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But prosecutors during his arraignment described Rodriguez, 18, as an active participant in the slaying.—
Gardiner Anderson,
New York Daily News,
14 Apr. 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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The attorney has pushed back on growing public speculation, arguing that without finding Lynette, conclusions about foul play are premature.—
Alaa Elassar,
CNN Money,
11 Apr. 2026
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Her cause of death has not been released, but investigators said there were no initial signs of foul play.—
Lauren Penington,
Denver Post,
10 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hara-kiri.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hara-kiri. Accessed 20 Apr. 2026.
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