executioner
noun
ex·e·cu·tion·er
ˌek-si-ˈkyü-sh(ə-)nər 
: one who executes
especially
: one who puts to death
Examples of executioner in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Comments from officials have led to fears of some of those detained being put to death in Iran, one of the world’s top executioners.
—
Jon Gambrell, Los Angeles Times, 21 Jan. 2026
Law enforcement doesn’t get to be judge, jury and executioner all in one horrible shot.
—Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 15 Jan. 2026
Episode 3 ended with Ron, Eric Nam, Kristen Kish, and Caroline Stanbury all tied to trees and hilariously pleading for their lives while the Traitors and a masked executioner all just kind of stood there awkwardly.
—Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 9 Jan. 2026
Figures are unavailable for China, which keeps most executions secret but is widely believed to be the world’s leading executioner.
—Prashant Rao, semafor.com, 2 Jan. 2026
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Jon Gambrell, Los Angeles Times, 21 Jan. 2026
Law enforcement doesn’t get to be judge, jury and executioner all in one horrible shot.
—Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 15 Jan. 2026
Episode 3 ended with Ron, Eric Nam, Kristen Kish, and Caroline Stanbury all tied to trees and hilariously pleading for their lives while the Traitors and a masked executioner all just kind of stood there awkwardly.
—Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 9 Jan. 2026
Figures are unavailable for China, which keeps most executions secret but is widely believed to be the world’s leading executioner.
—Prashant Rao, semafor.com, 2 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for executioner
Cite this Entry
“Executioner.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/executioner. Accessed 29 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
executioner
noun
ex·e·cu·tion·er
ˌek-sə-ˈkyü-sh(ə-)nər
: a person who carries out a sentence of death
Legal Definition
executioner
noun
ex·e·cu·tion·er
ˌek-si-ˈkyü-shə-nər
: one who puts another to death in fulfillment of a judicial death sentence
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