suicidal ideation

noun

: the act of thinking about or a state of preoccupation with ending one's own life : the act of considering or planning suicide
He had been hospitalized several times for depression and suicidal ideation: the previous summer he had checked himself into a hospital in Laramie.Melanie Thernstrom
Alleviating gender dysphoria and aligning gender expression with identity through these treatments can lower stress, reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety, and significantly lessen suicidal ideation.Orion Rummler

Examples of suicidal ideation in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Westcott said Allen experienced hallucinations, psychosis and suicidal ideation. Jeremy Edwards, ABC News, 4 Nov. 2024 But unreachable providers pose major concerns at a time when the nation is grappling with a mental health crisis and patients are seeking timely help with substance abuse disorders or suicidal ideation. Tina Reed, Axios, 24 Oct. 2024 Having severe sleep disturbances at age 10 was linked with having a 2.7 times higher risk for suicidal ideation and suicide attempts two years later, according to a study published Monday in the journal JAMA Network Open. Kristen Rogers, CNN, 19 Sep. 2024 Editor’s note: This article discusses suicide and suicidal ideation. Jonathan Limehouse, USA TODAY, 24 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for suicidal ideation 

Word History

First Known Use

1949, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of suicidal ideation was in 1949

Dictionary Entries Near suicidal ideation

Cite this Entry

“Suicidal ideation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/suicidal%20ideation. Accessed 24 Nov. 2024.

Medical Definition

suicidal ideation

noun
: the act of thinking about or a state of preoccupation with ending one's own life : the act of considering or planning suicide
Depression appears to be one of the strongest predictors of suicidal ideation but does not appear to distinguish those who have attempted suicide from those who have experienced suicidal ideation without attempts.E. David Klonsky et al., Annual Review of Clinical Psychology
Burnout among medical students seems to be an important predictor of subsequent suicidal ideation even without symptoms of depression.Liselotte N. Dyrbye et al., Annals of Internal Medicine
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!