as in patricide
the crime of purposefully ending the life of your own brother or sister
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of fratricide
The Type-1a supernovae don’t come from solitary stars sitting around waiting to die, but from a case of pure stellar fratricide.
—
Popular Mechanics, 18 Apr. 2023
The story starts the same way, with a fratricide.
—Matthew Gabriele, Smithsonian Magazine, 22 Apr. 2022
Rumors of Njinga committing fratricide or engaging in cannibalism are treated with similar caution.
—Angie Han, The Hollywood Reporter, 15 Feb. 2023
Each episode of Peacock’s mystery series depicts such horrors as fratricide and fraud in classic American locales: a Nevada casino, a Texas smokehouse, a Colorado ski lodge.
—Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 9 Mar. 2023
See all Example Sentences for fratricide 
Popular Mechanics, 18 Apr. 2023
The story starts the same way, with a fratricide.
—Matthew Gabriele, Smithsonian Magazine, 22 Apr. 2022
Rumors of Njinga committing fratricide or engaging in cannibalism are treated with similar caution.
—Angie Han, The Hollywood Reporter, 15 Feb. 2023
Each episode of Peacock’s mystery series depicts such horrors as fratricide and fraud in classic American locales: a Nevada casino, a Texas smokehouse, a Colorado ski lodge.
—Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 9 Mar. 2023
See all Example Sentences for fratricide
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fratricide
Noun
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But Dwight picks the fight by almost immediately accusing Chickie of patricide, which happens to be true but won’t win you any brownie points, for sure.—
Sean T. Collins,
Vulture,
17 Nov. 2024
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The movie includes intense domestic abuse (verbal, physical and emotional), gun violence, death and descriptions of patricide.—
Common Sense Media,
Washington Post,
19 July 2024
Noun
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Macron’s ascent to the presidency began, like a certain Greek tragedy, with parricide.—
Arthur Goldhammer,
Foreign Affairs,
12 Dec. 2018
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Everything seems to be pointing toward parricide, but the future is no simpler than the past.—
Adam Shatz,
The New York Review of Books,
2 Jan. 2020
Noun
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Easily the nation’s most notable parolee, Gypsy Rose Blanchard, 32, was released Dec. 28 having served eight years of her 10-year sentence for matricide.—
Stephen Schaefer,
Boston Herald,
13 Jan. 2024
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However, Daniel's hold over Luke proves to be strong, and almost leads him to commit matricide.—
Amy Mackelden,
Harper's BAZAAR,
24 Sep. 2022
Noun
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The raw power grab that excites Lady Macbeth and incites her husband to regicide feels especially pertinent now, when the dangers of autocracy loom over political discussions.—
Peter Marks,
Washington Post,
28 Mar. 2024
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Those Tories by the way have a particular penchant for political regicide before voters get the chance.—
Stephen Collinson,
CNN,
19 Jan. 2023
Noun
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Davis has pleaded not guilty to the murder and gang enhancement charges.—
Anna Kaufman,
USA TODAY,
20 Feb. 2025
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The defense meanwhile argued O’Keefe was killed inside the home and taken back outside while Read, a financial analyst and adjunct professor at Bentley College, was framed for the murder.—
David Matthews,
New York Daily News,
19 Feb. 2025
Noun
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One study of maternal filicide observed that, whereas psychotic mothers often acted suddenly, depressed mothers tended to contemplate killing their children for days or weeks before acting.—
Eren Orbey,
The New Yorker,
14 Oct. 2024
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Each was a tragedy, but maternal filicide falls low on the register of reasons for infant death.—
Maria Laurino,
The New Republic,
29 June 2023
Noun
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After reviewing the police investigation, the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office approved one count of reckless homicide, a Class 3 felony, against Lopez, Barrington police said.—
Pioneer Press,
Chicago Tribune,
18 Feb. 2025
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The group has also been linked to five other homicides in Vermont, California and Pennsylvania.—
Escher Walcott,
People.com,
18 Feb. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near fratricide
Cite this Entry
“Fratricide.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fratricide. Accessed 26 Feb. 2025.
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