the death penalty
noun
: death as a punishment given by a court of law for very serious crimes : capital punishment
If convicted, he could face the death penalty.
She opposes the death penalty.
Examples of the death penalty in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
His charges carry a maximum sentence of life in prison without parole or the death penalty, if convicted.
—
Jack Smart, PEOPLE, 27 Dec. 2025
Dekraai is serving eight life sentences after a Superior Court judge took the death penalty off the table and booted the district attorney’s office from the case for informant violations.
—Tony Saavedra, Oc Register, 24 Dec. 2025
The charges carry a maximum sentence of life without parole or the death penalty, said Nathan Hochman, the Los Angeles district attorney.
—Lea Veloso, StyleCaster, 23 Dec. 2025
The special circumstance of multiple murders can entail a maximum sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole — or the death penalty.
—Edward Segarra, USA Today, 23 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for the death penalty
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Jack Smart, PEOPLE, 27 Dec. 2025
Dekraai is serving eight life sentences after a Superior Court judge took the death penalty off the table and booted the district attorney’s office from the case for informant violations.
—Tony Saavedra, Oc Register, 24 Dec. 2025
The charges carry a maximum sentence of life without parole or the death penalty, said Nathan Hochman, the Los Angeles district attorney.
—Lea Veloso, StyleCaster, 23 Dec. 2025
The special circumstance of multiple murders can entail a maximum sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole — or the death penalty.
—Edward Segarra, USA Today, 23 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for the death penalty
Cite this Entry
“The death penalty.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20death%20penalty. Accessed 31 Dec. 2025.
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