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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Their 32-year-old son, Nick Reiner, has been charged with their murder, accused of fatally stabbing them.—
Anna Kaufman,
USA Today,
16 Mar. 2026
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Officials identified the man as Grant Parker, who had been arrested last month on suspicion of murder.—
Jeff McDonald,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
15 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Investigators learned on Tuesday that Lickhart had died from her injuries, and homicide detectives took over the case, DiMartino said.—
Nathan Pilling
March 17,
Kansas City Star,
18 Mar. 2026
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The suspect and victim in a homicide case in east Charlotte last week were dating, according to an affidavit filed in court by Charlotte-Mecklenburg police.—
Ryan Oehrli,
Charlotte Observer,
17 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The last of three men linked to the May 2023 slaying of a Little Rock man whose body was found in some bushes has been sentenced to eight years in prison.—
John Lynch,
Arkansas Online,
11 Mar. 2026
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An Illinois Appellate Court threw out the conviction of Gary Gauger in the 1993 slaying of his parents, McHenry County farmers Morris and Ruth Gauger.—
Kori Rumore,
Chicago Tribune,
11 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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The sheriff's office, FBI and other assisting agencies did not immediately see any signs of foul play, according to a statement released on March 6.—
Michael Ruiz,
FOXNews.com,
13 Mar. 2026
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Masuka said police suggested this means no foul play was involved and that Davis was not robbed.—
Addison Wright,
Chicago Tribune,
13 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hara-kiri.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hara-kiri. Accessed 21 Mar. 2026.
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