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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Cobb was arrested and charged with murder in the second degree and cruelty to children in the second degree, both felonies, police said.—
Jeanine Santucci,
USA Today,
7 Oct. 2025
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In other fiction news, there’s a radically new take on the murder-in-a-small-town genre by Chris Kraus, fresh, unusual stories by Katherine Dunn, and a tear-jerker by Mitch Albom, among many others.—
Julia Hass,
Literary Hub,
7 Oct. 2025
Noun
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On the morning of June 3, Pandora's mother, Simone Kjolsrud, told The Republic that on May 26, the pair were victims of a double homicide while the teens were on a camping trip.—
Julie Mendes,
AZCentral.com,
3 Oct. 2025
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Her death was listed an apparent homicide by the Hamilton County Coroner’s Office.—
Matthew Cupelli,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
2 Oct. 2025
Noun
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But while the New Zealander won a Golden Globe for her portrayal in 2009, Paquin broke out long before Sookie was slinging drinks and slaying bloodsuckers.—
Matt Cabral,
Entertainment Weekly,
4 Oct. 2025
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Joshua Rocha has been found guilty of first-degree murder in the July 2022 slaying of North Kansas City police officer Daniel Vasquez.—
PJ Green,
Kansas City Star,
2 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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The identities of the two boys and their cause of death were not immediately released, but foul play is not suspected, according to WFAA.—
Lillie Davidson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
8 Oct. 2025
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Though his body did exhibit some markings that could have been wounds, officials at the time ruled out foul play.—
JR Radcliffe,
jsonline.com,
6 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hara-kiri.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hara-kiri. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.
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