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
The Yolo County District Attorney’s Office is not pursuing the death penalty in the case.
—
Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 23 May 2026
Mackenzie Shirilla was worried about facing the death penalty during her August 2023 trial, a jail phone call revealed.
—Marina Watts, Entertainment Weekly, 22 May 2026
Amanda Lee Myers is a senior crime reporter who covers the death penalty, cold case investigations and breaking news for USA TODAY.
—Amanda Lee Myers, USA Today, 21 May 2026
Others tried to find rationale in the death penalty once faced with it.
—Erik Ortiz, NBC news, 20 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for the death penalty
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Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 23 May 2026
Mackenzie Shirilla was worried about facing the death penalty during her August 2023 trial, a jail phone call revealed.
—Marina Watts, Entertainment Weekly, 22 May 2026
Amanda Lee Myers is a senior crime reporter who covers the death penalty, cold case investigations and breaking news for USA TODAY.
—Amanda Lee Myers, USA Today, 21 May 2026
Others tried to find rationale in the death penalty once faced with it.
—Erik Ortiz, NBC news, 20 May 2026
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 27 May. 2026.
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