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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Digwa, 23, was convicted of murder for stabbing Nowak with an 8-inch (21 centimeter) Sikh dagger and sentenced this week to life in prison with a minimum 21-year term.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
7 June 2026
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Jenny’s murder strengthens her resolve.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
7 June 2026
Noun
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However, a subsequent investigation ruled out drowning as the cause of death and determined the toddler’s death was a homicide, prosecutors said.—
Sydney Barragan,
Oc Register,
10 June 2026
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The Sacramento Police Department announced on Tuesday that investigators secured a homicide arrest warrant for an additional suspect, saying that a 17-year-old boy was taken into custody and booked into juvenile hall.—
Richard Ramos,
CBS News,
10 June 2026
Noun
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Notably, van der Sloot did so long after the 12-year statute of limitations in Aruba, which meant he may not be charged with the slaying, according to NBC News.—
Jessica Sager,
PEOPLE,
30 May 2026
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Oscar Bolanos, 67, has been linked to the slaying of Robert Pangborn, 31, who on May 21, 1983, was found partially clothed and fatally stabbed in Northern California.—
Saleen Martin,
USA Today,
29 May 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 victim’s cause of death has not been publicly released, but authorities suspect foul play, the outlets reported.—
Angel Saunders,
PEOPLE,
2 June 2026
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But Rendelman cautioned that even if a body is found, proving exactly what happened could be difficult without clear physical evidence of foul play.—
Kelsie Cairns , Sarah Rumpf-Whitten,
FOXNews.com,
2 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hara-kiri.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hara-kiri. Accessed 11 Jun. 2026.
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