capital punishment
noun
: punishment by death : the practice of killing people as punishment for serious crimes
called also death penalty
Examples of capital punishment in a Sentence
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Judge Margaret Garnett has said Mangione would stand trial for the federal case in January 2027 if capital punishment remains on the table, and that the federal trial would begin in October if the death penalty is taken off the table.
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Aaron Katersky, ABC News, 30 Jan. 2026
Death penalty reform activist Reverend Jeff Hood responded to the news of the capital punishment charges being dropped in a statement to Rolling Stone.
—Lorena O’Neil, Rolling Stone, 30 Jan. 2026
New York does not have the death penalty at the state level after its capital punishment statute was declared unconstitutional in 2004.
—Adam Reiss, NBC news, 30 Jan. 2026
Tarrant County prosecutors were seeking capital punishment in the case before Bell pleaded guilty.
—Lillie Davidson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 Jan. 2026
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Aaron Katersky, ABC News, 30 Jan. 2026
Death penalty reform activist Reverend Jeff Hood responded to the news of the capital punishment charges being dropped in a statement to Rolling Stone.
—Lorena O’Neil, Rolling Stone, 30 Jan. 2026
New York does not have the death penalty at the state level after its capital punishment statute was declared unconstitutional in 2004.
—Adam Reiss, NBC news, 30 Jan. 2026
Tarrant County prosecutors were seeking capital punishment in the case before Bell pleaded guilty.
—Lillie Davidson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 Jan. 2026
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 9 Feb. 2026.
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