firing squad
noun
1
: a detachment detailed to fire volleys over the grave of one buried with military honors
2
: a detachment detailed to carry out a sentence of death by shooting
Examples of firing squad in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Two bills pertaining to firing squad executions for death row inmates won’t advance further this session unless the authors propose them as amendments to other bills.
—
Chicago Tribune, 4 Feb. 2026
Another bill that would have allowed executions by firing squad was voted down in the House.
—Hayleigh Colombo, IndyStar, 30 Jan. 2026
So our ingenious answer is to make Idaho the only state with firing squad as its preferred execution method?
—Michael Deeds, Idaho Statesman, 8 Jan. 2026
Between the shortages and legal challenges over botched executions, some states have moved to alternative methods of execution, including firing squads in South Carolina and nitrogen gas in Alabama.
—CBS News, 11 Dec. 2025
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Chicago Tribune, 4 Feb. 2026
Another bill that would have allowed executions by firing squad was voted down in the House.
—Hayleigh Colombo, IndyStar, 30 Jan. 2026
So our ingenious answer is to make Idaho the only state with firing squad as its preferred execution method?
—Michael Deeds, Idaho Statesman, 8 Jan. 2026
Between the shortages and legal challenges over botched executions, some states have moved to alternative methods of execution, including firing squads in South Carolina and nitrogen gas in Alabama.
—CBS News, 11 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for firing squad
Cite this Entry
“Firing squad.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/firing%20squad. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
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