suicidal

adjective

sui·​cid·​al ˌsü-ə-ˈsī-dᵊl 

1

a

: extremely dangerous especially to one's life : likely to cause one's death

The mission is suicidal.

a suicidal rescue attempt

b

: destructive to one's own interests

The senator's support of a tax increase is politically suicidal.

2

: relating to or of the nature of suicide

The detectives discovered a "Last Will & Testament" he had written. Concerned about its suicidal implications, Knopps said they immediately notified … the Hurley police chief.

—Randy Furst

3

: marked by an impulse to end one's own life

suicidal behavior

see also suicidal ideation

suicidally adverb

Examples of suicidal in a Sentence

psychiatrists working with suicidal patients

He knows that supporting a tax increase would be politically suicidal.

Word History

First Known Use

1768, in the meaning defined at sense 1b

Phrases Containing suicidal

• suicidal ideation

Medical Definition

suicidal

adjective

sui·​cid·​al ˌsü-ə-ˈsīd-ᵊl 

1

: of, relating to, or tending to cause suicide

suicidal tendencies

2

: marked by an impulse to end one's own life

suicidal patients

suicidally

-ᵊl-ē 

adverb