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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Jurors recommended the death penalty with a 9-3 vote. Landon Mion, FOXNews.com, 19 Sep. 2025 Robinson was hit with seven criminal charges on Tuesday and is facing the death penalty. Kaelan Deese, The Washington Examiner, 18 Sep. 2025 Leavitt told digital magazine Bolts that dropping the death penalty shortened the trial by about three months. Aysha Bagchi, USA Today, 18 Sep. 2025 The Wyandotte County District Attorney’s Office filed a notice of intent to seek the death penalty Wednesday against a man charged in the August killing of a Kansas City, Kansas, police officer, according to a news release. Caroline Zimmerman, Kansas City Star, 18 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for the death penalty

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“The death penalty.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20death%20penalty. Accessed 21 Sep. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!