Definition

Noun: A suicide mission is a task or operation in which the person or people carrying it out do not expect to survive. The primary objective often involves causing significant damage, destruction, or death to a target, with the understanding that the perpetrators will be killed in the process. This is frequently associated with a deliberate, self-sacrificial attack using explosives.

Usage

This term is used to describe a planned military, paramilitary, or terrorist operation where survival is not an intended outcome. It emphasizes the predetermined fatal outcome for the attacker as a core feature of the mission's execution.

Examples

• The intelligence report warned of a possible suicide mission against the embassy.
• The soldier volunteered for what was essentially a suicide mission to destroy the enemy bridge.
• Historians debate whether the charge was a brave tactical maneuver or a suicide mission.

Advanced Usage

• The phrase can be used metaphorically in non-violent contexts to describe an endeavor perceived as having a very high risk of catastrophic failure for the person attempting it.
  • Trying to negotiate with that hostile board without any preparation is a suicide mission for your career.

Variants and Related Words

• Suicide Attack (n): A more specific term for an assault where the method of attack ensures the death of the perpetrator.
• Suicide Bomber (n): A person who carries out a suicide attack, typically with an explosive device.
• Martyrdom Operation (n): A term used by some groups to frame a suicide mission positively, emphasizing sacrifice for a cause.

Synonyms

• Kamikaze mission
• One-way mission
• Sacrificial attack

Related Idioms and Phrases

• On a suicide mission: Behaving or proceeding in a way that is recklessly dangerous and likely to lead to ruin.
  • Driving that fast on icy roads is like being on a suicide mission.

Noun

1. killing or injuring others while annihilating yourself; usually accomplished with a bomb