sentence

1 of 2

noun

sen·​tence ˈsen-tᵊn(t)s 

-tᵊnz

1

a

: a word, clause, or phrase or a group of clauses or phrases forming a syntactic unit which expresses an assertion, a question, a command, a wish, an exclamation, or the performance of an action, that in writing usually begins with a capital letter and concludes with appropriate end punctuation, and that in speaking is distinguished by characteristic patterns of stress, pitch, and pauses

b

: a mathematical or logical statement (such as an equation or a proposition) in words or symbols

2

a

: judgment sense 4a

specifically : one formally pronounced by a court or judge in a criminal proceeding and specifying the punishment to be inflicted upon the convict

b

: the punishment so imposed

serve out a sentence

3

: period sense 2b

4

archaic : maxim, saw

5

obsolete : opinion

especially : a conclusion given on request or reached after deliberation

sentence

2 of 2

verb

sentenced; sentencing

transitive verb

1

: to impose a sentence on

2

: to cause to suffer something

sentenced these most primitive cultures to extinction

—E. W. Count

Synonyms

Noun

• ruling
• verdict

Verb

• condemn
• punish
• doom

Examples of sentence in a Sentence

Noun

He is serving a 10-year sentence for armed robbery.

Verb

The defendant was sentenced and fined.

the judge sentenced him to a fine of $50 and time served

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Judge Steven Denny imposed the 60-year sentence that same day. —Christina Coulter, PEOPLE, 25 Oct. 2025

The cameras were back 18 years later in very different circumstances, as the disgraced former President set off to begin a five-year sentence at La Santé prison in Paris. —Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 24 Oct. 2025

Verb

Girl Group follows Wilson as a pop star who is kicked off her group's reunion tour and sentenced to community service by a court. —Tommy McArdle, PEOPLE, 24 Oct. 2025

Other Latin King members involved in the killing of Kirschfield, including one of the shooters, were sentenced to life in prison. —Drake Bentley, jsonline.com, 24 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin sententia feeling, opinion, from *sentent-, *sentens, irregular present participle of sentire to feel — more at sense

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 5

Verb

1592, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing sentence

• death sentence
• life sentence
• loose sentence
• open sentence
• pass sentence
• periodic sentence
• pre-sentence
• pronounce sentence
• run-on sentence
• sentence adverb
• sentence/condemn to death
• sentence fragment
• sentence stress
• sub-sentence
• suspended sentence
• topic sentence

Rhymes for sentence

• presentence
• repentance

Kids Definition

sentence

1 of 2 noun

sen·​tence ˈsent-ᵊn(t)s 

-ᵊnz

1

a

: judgment sense 2

especially : one pronounced by a court in a criminal proceeding and specifying the punishment

b

: the punishment set by a court

2

a

: a grammatically self-contained group of words that expresses a statement, a question, a command, a wish, or an exclamation

b

: a mathematical or logical statement (as an equation) in words or symbols

sentential

sen-ˈten-chəl

adjective

sentence

2 of 2 verb

sentenced; sentencing

1

: to impose a judgment on

sentenced them to prison

2

: to cause to suffer something

Legal Definition

sentence

1 of 2 noun

sen·​tence ˈsent-ᵊns, -ᵊnz 

1

: a judgment formally pronouncing the punishment to be inflicted on one convicted of a crime

2

: the punishment that one convicted of a crime is ordered to receive

— concurrent sentence

: a sentence that runs at the same time as another

— consecutive sentence

: a sentence that runs before or after another

— cumulative sentence

: consecutive sentence in this entry

also : the combination of two or more consecutive sentences

— death sentence

: a sentence condemning the convicted defendant to death

— determinate sentence \ di-​ˈtər-​mə-​nət-​ \

: a sentence for a fixed rather than indeterminate length of time

— general sentence

: a sentence that does not allocate the punishment imposed for the individual counts on which the defendant was convicted

Note: General sentences are impermissible.

— indeterminate sentence \ ˌin-​di-​ˈtər-​mə-​nət-​ \

: a sentence of minimum and maximum duration with the exact length to be later determined (as by a parole board)

— life sentence

: a sentence of imprisonment for the rest of the convicted defendant's life

— mandatory sentence

: a sentence that is specifically required or falls within a range required by statute as punishment for an offense

imposed the minimum mandatory sentence for distributing drugs near a school

— presumptive sentence

: a sentence that is the presumed punishment for an offense and is subject to the upward or downward adjustment of its severity depending on aggravating and mitigating factors

— split sentence

: a sentence of which part is served in prison and the other suspended and usually replaced by probation

— suspended sentence

: a sentence the imposition or execution of which is suspended by the court

sentence

2 of 2 transitive verb

sentenced; sentencing

: to impose a sentence on

Etymology

Noun

Old French, opinion, judicial sentence, from Latin sententia, ultimately from sentire to feel, think, express an opinion