electrocute

verb

elec·​tro·​cute i-ˈlek-trə-ˌkyüt How to pronounce electrocute (audio)
electrocuted; electrocuting

transitive verb

1
: to kill or severely injure by electric shock
Because of flawed electrical work by contractors, the bulletin stated, soldiers at U.S. bases in Iraq had received severe electrical shocks, and some had even been electrocuted.James Risen
But if a power outage occurs, the PV [photovoltaic] system has to shut down or it could electrocute utility workers who think they're working on dead lines.Popular Science
He was working on Pier 38 on the West Side of Manhattan when he was accidently electrocuted by a high-voltage wire. He suffered second- and third-degree burns and had to undergo painful skin grafts.Robert I. Friedman
2
: to execute (a criminal) by electricity
Two of the big fish, Emanuel (Mendy) Weiss and Louis Capone, ultimately were convicted and electrocuted with the boss himself …Scott Christianson
electrocution noun
Last year, we spent our vacation in a rustic cabin in Burgundy, where we … risked electrocution every time we recharged our laptop using the cabin's rustic, non-grounded electrical outlets. Laura Colby
In 1982, he was sentenced to death by lethal injection or electrocution. Lola Ogunnaike

Examples of electrocute in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The incident caused power outages and street closures in the area as electrical crews worked to make sure that firefighters could safely get to the men without also being electrocuted. Jakob Rodgers, The Mercury News, 23 Feb. 2024 Three people in Portland, Oregon — a woman, her boyfriend and her 15-year-old brother — were electrocuted Wednesday after slipping on ice near a live power line. Katie Mogg, NBC News, 19 Jan. 2024 Three construction workers were hospitalized late Monday morning after being electrocuted while on the job in Alexandria, police said. Marissa J. Lang, Washington Post, 19 Feb. 2024 Vultures are electrocuted by power lines, hit by wind-turbine blades, stranded without habitats as their nesting trees burn or are cut down, and persecuted by people. Meera Subramanian, The New Yorker, 31 Jan. 2024 The boys were electrocuted after hiding from police in a power substation in Clichy-sous-Bois. Time, 30 June 2023 James had lost half his face and his left eye when he was electrocuted on the job as an electrical lineman in June 2021. Eileen Finan, Peoplemag, 9 Nov. 2023 According to Washington, per the Associated Press, the mother, who was six months pregnant, then tried to reach the baby but also slipped and was electrocuted, along with her 15-year-old brother who tried to help. Kirsty Hatcher, Peoplemag, 19 Jan. 2024 The end came as the result of a vicious left hook to the body that seemed to electrocute Fortea, forcing him to take a knee and surrender to the referee's ten count. Brian Mazique, Forbes, 11 Dec. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'electrocute.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

electr- + -cute (as in execute)

First Known Use

1889, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of electrocute was in 1889

Dictionary Entries Near electrocute

Cite this Entry

“Electrocute.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/electrocute. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

electrocute

verb
elec·​tro·​cute i-ˈlek-trə-ˌkyüt How to pronounce electrocute (audio)
electrocuted; electrocuting
1
: to execute (a criminal) by electricity
2
: to kill by electric shock
electrocution noun

Medical Definition

electrocute

transitive verb
elec·​tro·​cute i-ˈlek-trə-ˌkyüt How to pronounce electrocute (audio)
electrocuted; electrocuting
1
: to kill or severely injure by electric shock
2
: to execute (a criminal) by electricity
electrocution noun

Legal Definition

electrocute

transitive verb
elec·​tro·​cute
electrocuted; electrocuting
: to execute (a convicted criminal) by electricity
electrocution noun
Etymology

electro-, combining form meaning “electric” + execute

More from Merriam-Webster on electrocute

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