executioner

noun

ex·​e·​cu·​tion·​er ˌek-si-ˈkyü-sh(ə-)nər How to pronounce executioner (audio)
Synonyms of executionernext
: one who executes
especially : one who puts to death

Examples of executioner 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.
For over an hour, Tony Carruthers lay strapped to an execution gurney in Tennessee's death chamber as his executioners struggled to find a vein. Amanda Lee Myers, USA Today, 28 May 2026 Who gets to decide who the judge, jury, and executioner is? David Frum, The Atlantic, 27 May 2026 Her mother, Madeleine (Léocadie Uwabeza), attends these group sessions as part of the program’s attempts to encourage forgiveness between victims and the families of the executioners. Josh Slater-Williams, IndieWire, 19 May 2026 Iran is the world's most prolific executioner after China, according to rights groups. CBS News, 12 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for executioner

Word History

First Known Use

1536, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of executioner was in 1536

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Executioner.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/executioner. Accessed 8 Jun. 2026.

Kids Definition

executioner

noun
ex·​e·​cu·​tion·​er ˌek-sə-ˈkyü-sh(ə-)nər How to pronounce executioner (audio)
: a person who carries out a sentence of death

Legal Definition

executioner

noun
ex·​e·​cu·​tion·​er ˌek-si-ˈkyü-shə-nər How to pronounce executioner (audio)
: one who puts another to death in fulfillment of a judicial death sentence

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