Definition of execution
1 : the act or process of executing : performance
2 : a putting to death especially as a legal penalty
3 : the process of enforcing a legal judgment (as against a debtor); also : a judicial writ directing such enforcement
4 : the act or mode or result of performance
5 archaic : effective or destructive action his brandished steel, which smoked with bloody execution — William Shakespeare —usually used with do as soon as day came, we went out to see what execution we had done — Daniel Defoe
From the M-W Editors
Examples of execution in a Sentence
He is in prison awaiting execution.
The quarterback's execution of the play was perfect.
skillful execution of the dance steps
Recent Examples of execution from the Web
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The dissidents not only embrace the current strategic goals of the trust, but propose to increase the execution pace of the objectives and accelerate acquisition activity.
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Indiana has 12 inmates on its death row but no executions are currently scheduled, said corrections spokesman Doug Garrison.
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A Lake Superior Court jury deliberated about three hours Friday before convicting a Gary woman of all charges in the execution-style murders of two teenage brothers in 2015.
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And the filmmakerly execution here (episode director: Robin Wright) gave each Shocking Development a hint of surrealism.
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Arkansas put four inmates to death last month, the state’s first executions since 2005.
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According to the Observer, Gray's execution would likely take place at the U.S. Penitentiary in Terra Haute, Indiana, the same facility where terrorist Timothy McVeigh was put to death in 2001 for the 1995 Oklahoma City federal building bombing.
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His release helped spur the governor at the time, George Ryan, to halt executions in Illinois, a step toward the abolition of the death penalty here in 2011.
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The executions were carried out as a near-communal event, with nearly 3,000 people, from political and tribal factions, invited.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'execution'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Origin and Etymology of execution
Middle English execucion, from Anglo-French, from Latin exsecution-, exsecutio, from exsequi to execute, from ex- + sequi to follow — more at sue
First Known Use: 14th century
Other Legal Terms
EXECUTION Defined for English Language Learners
execution
playDefinition of execution for English Language Learners
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: the act of killing someone especially as punishment for a crime
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: the act of doing or performing something
EXECUTION Defined for Kids
execution
playDefinition of execution for Students
1 : the act of killing someone as a legal penalty
2 : the act of doing or performing something execution of a plan
Law Dictionary
execution
playLegal Definition of execution
1 : the act or process of executing witnessed the execution of the will
2 : a putting to death as fulfillment of a judicial death sentence
3 : the process of enforcing a judgment (as against a debtor); also : a judicial writ (as fieri facias) by which an officer is empowered to carry a judgment into effect — see also levy
Learn More about execution
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See words that rhyme with execution Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for execution Spanish Central: Translation of execution Nglish: Translation of execution for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of execution for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about execution
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