as in self-annihilation
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Recent Examples of self-immolation
Playing him was a kind of self-immolation for Tesfaye.
—
Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 16 May 2025
The last flareup in the early 2010s involved a string of self-immolation incidents that critics called a desperate cry against the Chinese government’s ever-tightening grip on Tibetan society.
—Steven Jiang, CNN Money, 1 May 2025
Gough’s performance is a savage self-immolation of a woman who only knows how to feign joy — and then only ever in extremis — but equally crucial to the moment is the clothing that costume designer Michael Wilkinson arms her with.
—Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 23 Apr. 2025
It was sparked by the self-immolation of a Tunisian street vendor to protest police corruption and abuses.
—Bruce Fein, Baltimore Sun, 14 Apr. 2025
Pryor, though, largely lost his bite after his self-immolation, which the film (and later Pryor’s family) characterized as a suicide attempt.
—Christopher Borrelli, Chicago Tribune, 16 Jan. 2025
Officials would not confirm whether the self-immolation was an act of protest.
—Marley Malenfant, Austin American-Statesman, 22 Nov. 2024
Malcolm Browne’s picture of Thích Quảng Đức’s self-immolation.
—Lucy McKeon, New York Times, 3 June 2024
The pervasive self-immolation that results gives the movie enough edge to make up for the weak car stunts, although the bikers’ skull helmets are among the most badass the genre has to offer.
—Katie Rife, Vulture, 21 June 2024
Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 16 May 2025
The last flareup in the early 2010s involved a string of self-immolation incidents that critics called a desperate cry against the Chinese government’s ever-tightening grip on Tibetan society.
—Steven Jiang, CNN Money, 1 May 2025
Gough’s performance is a savage self-immolation of a woman who only knows how to feign joy — and then only ever in extremis — but equally crucial to the moment is the clothing that costume designer Michael Wilkinson arms her with.
—Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 23 Apr. 2025
It was sparked by the self-immolation of a Tunisian street vendor to protest police corruption and abuses.
—Bruce Fein, Baltimore Sun, 14 Apr. 2025
Pryor, though, largely lost his bite after his self-immolation, which the film (and later Pryor’s family) characterized as a suicide attempt.
—Christopher Borrelli, Chicago Tribune, 16 Jan. 2025
Officials would not confirm whether the self-immolation was an act of protest.
—Marley Malenfant, Austin American-Statesman, 22 Nov. 2024
Malcolm Browne’s picture of Thích Quảng Đức’s self-immolation.
—Lucy McKeon, New York Times, 3 June 2024
The pervasive self-immolation that results gives the movie enough edge to make up for the weak car stunts, although the bikers’ skull helmets are among the most badass the genre has to offer.
—Katie Rife, Vulture, 21 June 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for self-immolation
Noun
-
The broken family exults in its own debasement just like the protesters and activist judges who pursue self-annihilation as liberation.—
Armond White,
National Review,
19 Mar. 2025
-
The clock, which is updated by the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, is meant to be a metaphor for how close humanity is to self-annihilation.—
Rebecca Morin,
USA TODAY,
29 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
Rublev, 27 and the men’s world No. 9, is prone to fits of self-flagellation — often hammering at his body with his racket.—
Charlie Eccleshare,
The Athletic,
25 Feb. 2025
-
The self-flagellation is uncomfortable and dark, and the instrumental’s whorl of warped voices, sax melodies, and bass lines intensifies the feeling that he is trapped within his choices. 17.—
Stephen Kearse,
Vulture,
4 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Self-immolation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/self-immolation. Accessed 22 May. 2025.
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