lynch

verb

lynched; lynching; lynches

transitive verb

: to put to death (as by hanging) by mob action without legal approval or permission
The accused killer was lynched by an angry mob.
lyncher noun

Examples of lynch 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.
When Black folks were coming home from World War I and II, many were lynched in uniform. Jonquilyn Hill, Vox, 6 July 2025 Talk soon turned to lynching not just Berner and Palmer, but also the 12 men on the jury. Amber Hunt, The Enquirer, 2 July 2025 Nearly 95 years after 18-year-old Dennis Hubert was lynched in Atlanta, Morehouse College has posthumously awarded him a bachelor’s degree. Melissa Noel, Essence, 28 May 2025 Free Emmett Till was a boy of fourteen when he was lynched in Mississippi. JSTOR Daily, 20 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for lynch

Word History

Etymology

after lynch law

First Known Use

1835, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of lynch was in 1835

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Lynch.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lynch. Accessed 15 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

lynch

verb
: to put to death (as by hanging) by mob action without legal authority
lyncher noun

Legal Definition

lynch

transitive verb
: to put to death (as by hanging) by mob action without legal sanction
lyncher noun

More from Merriam-Webster on lynch

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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