death wish
C1Informal, but accepted in psychological and some journalistic registers.
Definition
Meaning
A conscious or unconscious desire for one's own death, or a tendency towards self-destructive behaviour.
A metaphorical expression for a reckless action or decision that seems likely to lead to failure or disaster (e.g., 'Running for office with those views is a political death wish.').
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily a noun phrase (compound noun). The concept originates in psychoanalytic theory but is now largely used in common parlance. Can describe a persistent psychological state or a single, impulsive act.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant lexical or grammatical differences. Concept is identical.
Connotations
Slightly more likely to be used in a literal, clinical sense in UK discourse; in US, may appear more frequently in hyperbolic, figurative contexts (e.g., sports commentary).
Frequency
Comparable frequency in both varieties.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[Subject] has a death wish.[Subject]'s behaviour betrays a death wish.It is/was a death wish [infinitive clause, e.g., to challenge him].Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[He/She] has a death wish (on him/her).”
- “That's a one-way ticket to... (figurative).”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare. Could be used metaphorically: 'Negotiating without leverage is a corporate death wish.'
Academic
Used in psychology, psychiatry, and cultural studies papers discussing Freudian theory or self-harm.
Everyday
Common in hyperbolic criticism: 'Riding a motorbike without a helmet? Got a death wish?'
Technical
Clinical psychology: assessment of suicidal ideation and risk factors.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- No standard verb form.
American English
- No standard verb form.
adverb
British English
- No standard adverb form.
American English
- No standard adverb form.
adjective
British English
- He's in a death-wish spiral of addiction. (attributive noun use)
American English
- It was a death-wish mission from the start. (attributive noun use)
Examples
By CEFR Level
- Driving that fast is like having a death wish.
- She said I must have a death wish to argue with the boss.
- His reckless behaviour after the accident suggested a subconscious death wish.
- The journalist argued that the group's strategy was a political death wish.
- The psychoanalyst explored the patient's latent death wish, linking it to profound guilt.
- Critics panned the policy as an economic death wish, destined to alienate key investors.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a character in a film doing something incredibly dangerous. A friend shouts, 'Do you have a DEATH WISH?!' The wish is for death.
Conceptual Metaphor
DESIRE IS A POSSESSION (one 'has' a death wish). SELF-DESTRUCTION IS A JOURNEY TO DEATH.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not translate as 'смертельное желание' (which implies a desire that is fatal in nature, not a desire *for* death). The closer equivalent is 'желание смерти' (желание собственной смерти) or the idiom 'искать смерти'.
Common Mistakes
- Using it as a verb (*He death-wishes). Incorrect plural: *death wisheses. Confusing with 'death threat' (a threat *from* someone else).
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'death wish' used MOST literally?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Primarily yes, but it can be applied metaphorically to organisations, projects, or plans (e.g., 'The new marketing campaign is a death wish for the brand.').
'Suicidal thoughts' is a clearer, more clinical term for explicit ideas about self-harm. 'Death wish' can be broader, encompassing unconscious drives or merely metaphorical recklessness.
Yes, frequently in informal, hyperbolic scolding (e.g., 'Eating a third dessert? Got a death wish?'). The tone and context indicate the humour.
No, this is non-standard. The concept is expressed with 'have a death wish' or 'act on a death wish'.