capital punishment
noun
: punishment by death : the practice of killing people as punishment for serious crimes
an opponent of capital punishment
Examples of capital punishment in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Thompson’s team had to weigh a number of factors over whether to accept Kohberger’s guilty pleas in exchange for dropping its pursuit of capital punishment, Nye told the Statesman.
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Kevin Fixler, Idaho Statesman, 28 Aug. 2025
Prosecutors have also told the federal court that the department is considering seeking capital punishment in a long-running gang case involving two Mexican nationals charged in 2008 who were recently brought to the United States, and in a 2023 carjacking case involving two young men.
—Nik Popli, Time, 26 Aug. 2025
The Supreme Court nullified capital punishment in 1972 in the District, and efforts to reinstate it in the years since have failed.
—Alex Gangitano, The Hill, 26 Aug. 2025
Still, the United States is in the global minority of countries that use capital punishment.
—Josh Meyer, USA Today, 26 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for capital punishment
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Kevin Fixler, Idaho Statesman, 28 Aug. 2025
Prosecutors have also told the federal court that the department is considering seeking capital punishment in a long-running gang case involving two Mexican nationals charged in 2008 who were recently brought to the United States, and in a 2023 carjacking case involving two young men.
—Nik Popli, Time, 26 Aug. 2025
The Supreme Court nullified capital punishment in 1972 in the District, and efforts to reinstate it in the years since have failed.
—Alex Gangitano, The Hill, 26 Aug. 2025
Still, the United States is in the global minority of countries that use capital punishment.
—Josh Meyer, USA Today, 26 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for capital punishment
Cite this Entry
“Capital punishment.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/capital%20punishment. Accessed 5 Sep. 2025.
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