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
And the shift away from the death penalty really comes in the mid-2010s.
—
Vox Staff, Vox, 5 June 2024
Since the death penalty was established in Idaho in 1864, the state has carried out 29 executions, most recently in 2012, according to the Death Penalty Information Center.
—Meredith Deliso, ABC News, 31 May 2024
Prosecutors initially announced their intent to seek the death penalty against the Daybells, but two weeks before Vallow Daybell’s trial in 2023, 7th District Judge Steven Boyce removed it as an option — in an unprecedented move.
—Alex Brizee, Idaho Statesman, 30 May 2024
At his federal trial in 1997, jurors could not reach agreement on the death penalty and so Nichols was sentenced to life without parole.
—The Arizona Republic, 25 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for the death penalty 
Vox Staff, Vox, 5 June 2024
Since the death penalty was established in Idaho in 1864, the state has carried out 29 executions, most recently in 2012, according to the Death Penalty Information Center.
—Meredith Deliso, ABC News, 31 May 2024
Prosecutors initially announced their intent to seek the death penalty against the Daybells, but two weeks before Vallow Daybell’s trial in 2023, 7th District Judge Steven Boyce removed it as an option — in an unprecedented move.
—Alex Brizee, Idaho Statesman, 30 May 2024
At his federal trial in 1997, jurors could not reach agreement on the death penalty and so Nichols was sentenced to life without parole.
—The Arizona Republic, 25 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for the death penalty
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'the death penalty.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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“The death penalty.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20death%20penalty. Accessed 18 Jun. 2024.
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