suicide

American  

[soo-uh-sahyd] / ˈsu əˌsaɪd /

noun

suicides plural

1. the intentional taking of one's own life.

2. destruction of one's own interests or prospects.

   Buying that house was financial suicide.

3. a person who intentionally takes their own life.

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verb (used without object)

suicided, suiciding

1. to intentionally end one’s own life; to die by suicide.

verb (used with object)

suicided, suiciding

1. to kill (oneself ).

suicide British  

/ ˈsjuː-, ˈsuːɪˌsaɪd /

noun

1. the act or an instance of killing oneself intentionally

2. the self-inflicted ruin of one's own prospects or interests

   a merger would be financial suicide

3. a person who kills himself intentionally

4. (modifier) reckless; extremely dangerous

   a suicide mission

5. (modifier) (of an action) undertaken or (of a person) undertaking an action in the knowledge that it will result in the death of the person performing it in order that maximum damage may be inflicted on an enemy

   a suicide attack

   suicide bomber

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Sensitive Note

In English, the verb suicide exists (e.g., Many teens who suicide have experienced abuse or bullying ), but its use is rare. Rather, the most common way to express the idea of taking one’s own life uses the noun suicide in the expressions to commit suicide or to attempt suicide . However, the phrase commit suicide is discouraged by major editorial style guides, mental health professionals, and specialists in suicide prevention. The verb commit is associated with crime (in the justice system) and sin (in religion). Using such moralistic language deepens the emotional pain surrounding a suicide. The verb phrases to die by suicide and to end one’s life are now preferred over the common expression commit suicide . The adjectives successful , unsuccessful , and failed are words that should be avoided when describing a suicide or suicide attempt, as is language that either romanticizes or stigmatizes the act. Suicide is undeniably a hard subject to broach. It is okay to talk about suicide; studies show that discussing suicide with someone will not make that person suicidal or increase the likelihood of acting on suicidal ideation. But using language that criminalizes the act is insensitive to those whose lives have been touched by suicide.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• antisuicide
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• suicides
  plural

Etymology

Origin of suicide

First recorded in 1650–60; from New Latin suīcīdium, equivalent to Latin suī “of oneself,” genitive singular of reflexive pronoun + Latin combining form -cīda “killer”; see origin at -cide

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

suicide suicides suicided

Epstein’s death was ruled a suicide, but it’s continued to drive scrutiny, skepticism and conspiracy theories in the years since.

From Salon ● Jun. 27, 2026

The South Korean military’s new plan includes long-range suicide drones similar to those used by the U.S. and Iran.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 26, 2026

In 2021, Japan appointed a minister to tackle social isolation and rising rates of suicide.

From MarketWatch ● Jun. 19, 2026

One of those faces new to me belonged to Charles R., who I was advised by second period had “the cooties” and must therefore, on pain of social suicide, be shunned.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 10, 2026

Despite the fact that he’d just been volunteered for a likely suicide mission, the coach looked grateful.

From "The House of Hades" by Rick Riordan

Politicians in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh blamed microfinance loans for a wave of suicides.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 11, 2026

Licadho said it has documented 23 suicides and dozens of cases of migration, child labor and decreased food consumption linked to microfinance debt.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 11, 2026

When Japan recently investigated the Unification Church for defrauding its members, leading to bankruptcies and suicides, the church decried the prosecution as an attack on religious freedom.

From Salon ● Jul. 13, 2025

Data from the Office of National Statistics shows suicides in England and Wales have risen by 10% over the last six years.

From BBC ● Feb. 5, 2025

With the nation’s economic depression growing ever more profound—banks failing, suicides multiplying—it seemed an impossibility.

From "The Devil in the White City" by Erik Larson

The same goes for so much of Picasso's art – from his homage to a suicided young friend, The Death of Casagemas, to his last desperate self-portraits.

From The Guardian ● Jul. 10, 2013

Yes, surely;—and introducing, we remark withal, the "New Era," of Philanthropy, Enlightenment and so much else; with French Revolution, and a "world well suicided" hanging in the rear!

From History of Friedrich II of Prussia — Volume 11 by Carlyle, Thomas

I could easily have fancied myself a tourist, especially so at Matachin when "Mac" solemnly attempted to "spring" on me the old tourist hoax of suicided Chinamen as the derivation of the town's name.

From Zone Policeman 88; a close range study of the Panama canal and its workers by Franck, Harry Alverson