death row

noun

: a prison area housing inmates sentenced to death

—usually used with on

prisoners waiting on death row

Examples of death row in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Florida also has the highest death row exoneration record out of any other state — 30 since 1973, according to the Death Penalty Information Center. — Miami Herald, 22 Aug. 2026

Most famously, Iwao Hakamada spent decades on death row over a 1966 quadruple murder before being released in 2014 and fully exonerated in 2024 at the age of 88. — CBS News, 21 Aug. 2026

Japan now has 100 people on death row, including 43 seeking retrials, Hiraguchi said. — ABC News, 21 Aug. 2026

Manson, who was denied parole 12 times, was reportedly unfazed by spending the rest of his life in prison — despite being only 37 years old when he was sentenced to San Quentin’s death row. — Lynsey Eidell, PEOPLE, 15 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1894, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for death row

• acknow
• aglow
• ago
• airglow
• aloe
• altho
• although
• ammo
• backflow
• backhoe
• banjo
• barbeau

Legal Definition

death row

noun

: a prison area housing inmates sentenced to death

death row adjective