Meanings
plural suicides by cop
- informalA suicide in which a person points a firearm at an armed police officer to provoke them to shoot.
Mr. Taylor called the police, at which point Alexander grabbed a butcher knife from the kitchen, saying he would commit “suicide by cop.” […] When the police arrived, Alexander Taylor charged at them holding the knife. He was shot and killed.
2025 June 13, Kashmir Hill, “They Asked ChatGPT Questions. The Answers Sent Them Spiraling.”, in The New York Times, →ISSNSynonyms: copicide, death by cop, SbC
Synonyms & antonyms
nounA suicide in which a person points a firearm at an armed police officer to provoke them to shoot.
Translations
Finnish poliisin avustama itsemurha
- poliisin avustama itsemurhasuicide by provoking a police officer
French suicide par police interposée
- suicide par police interposéesuicide by provoking a police officer
Polish sprowokowanie policjanta do zabicia
- sprowokowanie policjanta do zabiciasuicide by provoking a police officer
Cite this entry
suicide by cop. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/suicide%20by%20cop
“suicide by cop.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/suicide%20by%20cop. Accessed November 5, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “suicide by cop,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/suicide%20by%20cop.
Source: suicide by cop on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.