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
Yoni Barrios, 34, pleaded guilty but mentally ill to murder and terrorism charges as part of a deal with prosecutors to avoid the death penalty for a series of stabbings on the Las Vegas Strip that left two people dead and six injured.
—
Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, arkansasonline.com, 2 Feb. 2025
This suggests the death penalty in the United States is dying one generation at a time.
—Austin Sarat, Twin Cities, 30 Jan. 2025
The order also calls on the Justice Department to seek the death penalty in appropriate federal cases and assist states struggling with drug shortages.
—Barbara A. Perry, Newsweek, 27 Jan. 2025
Yoon – who is a former prosecutor – could face life in jail or the death penalty if convicted of leading insurrection, although South Korea has not executed anyone in decades.
—Yoonjung Seo, CNN, 26 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for the death penalty 
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Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, arkansasonline.com, 2 Feb. 2025
This suggests the death penalty in the United States is dying one generation at a time.
—Austin Sarat, Twin Cities, 30 Jan. 2025
The order also calls on the Justice Department to seek the death penalty in appropriate federal cases and assist states struggling with drug shortages.
—Barbara A. Perry, Newsweek, 27 Jan. 2025
Yoon – who is a former prosecutor – could face life in jail or the death penalty if convicted of leading insurrection, although South Korea has not executed anyone in decades.
—Yoonjung Seo, CNN, 26 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for the death penalty
Dictionary Entries Near 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 9 Feb. 2025.
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