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
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Online communities even share tips and tricks, like how to manipulate a chatbot into expressing suicidal ideation or begging for mercy in the fewest possible turns, turning manipulation itself into a twisted game. Shrikant Nagori, Forbes.com, 2 Apr. 2025 After his own suicidal ideation, Walrond immediately pursued mental health care. Katia Riddle, NPR, 23 Mar. 2025 Moutier told Ars that chatbots encouraging suicidal ideation don't just present risks for people with acute issues. Ashley Belanger, Ars Technica, 20 Mar. 2025 About half of disordered gamblers in the United States have reported suicidal ideations, according statistics from the American Psychiatric Association. Adam Hudacek, Baltimore Sun, 10 Mar. 2025 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

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Cite this Entry

“Suicidal ideation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/suicidal%20ideation. Accessed 15 Apr. 2025.

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
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