executive

adjective

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ex·ec·u·tive | \ ig-ˈze-k(y)ə-tiv

, -kyü- \

Definition of executive

(Entry 1 of 2)

1a : of or relating to the execution of the laws and the conduct of public and national affairs

b : belonging to the branch of government that is charged with such powers as diplomatic representation, superintendence of the execution of the laws, and appointment of officials and that usually has some power over legislation (as through veto) — compare judicial, legislative

2a : designed for or relating to execution or carrying into effect executive board

b : having administrative or managerial responsibility executive director

3 : of or relating to an executive the executive offices

executive

noun

Definition of executive (Entry 2 of 2)

1 : the executive branch of a government also : the person or persons who constitute the executive magistracy of a state

2 : a directing or controlling office of an organization

3 : one that exercises administrative or managerial control

Synonyms & Antonyms More Example Sentences Learn More About executive

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Examples of executive in a Sentence

Adjective She has good executive skills. He has an executive position in the company. In the U.S., the President is the head of the executive branch of government. Noun The television network's executives decided not to air the controversial show. The President is the chief executive of the U.S. matters of policy controlled by the executive

Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective Since then, Lamont has made a complete turnaround as a can-do, CEO governor who has almost single-handedly ruled the state with executive orders for the past 16 months during the coronavirus pandemic. — Christopher Keating, courant.com, 11 July 2021 At the same time, Colorado Governor Jared Polis ended all executive orders related to COVID on Thursday. — Taylor Mims, Billboard, 9 July 2021 Over recent months, the Biden administration has rolled out a series of changes relating to immigration enforcement, stemming from President Joe Biden's executive orders seeking to undo the more aggressive measures taken under his predecessor. — Priscilla Alvarez, CNN, 9 July 2021 The review is being carried out as a result of two executive orders issued by the Biden administration in January, directing federal agencies to review and strengthen regulations to combat the climate crisis. — Kate Aronoff, The New Republic, 8 July 2021 The agency’s notice said two executive orders designed to combat climate change, issued by President Joe Biden in the first days of his administration, were relevant to its decision to conduct the supplemental review. — Alex Demarban, Anchorage Daily News, 8 July 2021 Cox declared a state of emergency in March and has since issued several executive orders aimed at water conservation — in addition to urging state residents to pray for rain. — Bethany Rodgers, The Salt Lake Tribune, 8 July 2021 President Biden outputs executive orders like a popcorn machine. — Daniel Henninger, WSJ, 7 July 2021 The small business owner benefited from last year’s executive orders for small businesses. — Trisha Thadani, San Francisco Chronicle, 4 July 2021 Recent Examples on the Web: Noun Huawei still faces a court battle over the extradition from Canada of finance chief Meng Wanzhou to the U.S., which has accused the executive of criminal charges related to the Chinese company’s alleged violation of sanctions against Iran. — Drew Fitzgerald, WSJ, 12 July 2021 As a result, Jones, Chavis, and others like Naeema Muhammad, the organizing co-director of the North Carolina Environmental Justice Network, question the second-term executive’s true commitment to BIPOC communities. — Nick Martin, The New Republic, 12 July 2021 The executive cited the Michelin guides as an example, for bestowing green stars on restaurants that use organic ingredients. — Washington Post, 9 July 2021 The show is executive produced by showrunner Misha Green along with J.J. Abrams, Jordan Peele, Bill Carraro, Yann Demange, Daniel Sackheim, and David Knoller. — Lauren Huff, EW.com, 2 July 2021 My Dirt Road Diary is executive produced by Bryan, his manager Kerri Edwards and Ryan Schmidt, in association with Endeavor Content and Peanut Mountain Productions. — Melinda Newman, Billboard, 23 June 2021 The forthcoming series will be developed, executive produced and written by Gad, 40, alongside Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz (Once Upon a Time), with each also serving as a co-showrunner. — Nicholas Rice, PEOPLE.com, 16 June 2021 The film, executive-produced by Martin Scorsese, is a vibey coming-of-age romance, and a window into a world that Bloom wants to burst open. — Anne Cohen, refinery29.com, 4 June 2021 The show was created by Chris Nee, and along with the Obamas, was executive produced by Tonia Davis, Priya Swaminathan and Kenya Barris. — Marianne Garvey, CNN, 2 June 2021

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'executive.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Last Updated

14 Jul 2021

Cite this Entry

“Executive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/executive. Accessed 23 Jul. 2021.

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More Definitions for executive

executive

noun

English Language Learners Definition of executive

: a person who manages or directs other people in a company or organization

: the executive branch of a government

See the full definition for executive in the English Language Learners Dictionary

executive

adjective

ex·ec·u·tive | \ ig-ˈze-kyə-tiv

Kids Definition of executive

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 : fitted for or relating to the managing or directing of things Claudia showed the executive ability of a corporation president.— E. L. Konigsburg, Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler

2 : relating to the carrying out of the law and the conduct of public affairs the executive branch of government

executive

noun

Kids Definition of executive (Entry 2 of 2)

1 : a person who manages or directs a sales executive

2 : the executive branch of a government

executive

adjective

ex·ec·u·tive

Legal Definition of executive

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 : of or relating to the execution or carrying out of laws serving a warrant is an executive function especially : belonging to the branch of government that is charged with such powers as diplomatic representation, overseeing the execution of laws, and appointment of officials — see also administrative — compare judicial, legislative

2a : of or relating to execution

b : having administrative or managerial responsibility an executive director

3 : of, relating to, or issued by an executive an executive pardon

executive

noun

Legal Definition of executive (Entry 2 of 2)

1a : the executive branch of a government — compare judiciary, legislature

b : the person or persons making up that branch — see also governor, mayor, president

2 : a person who exercises administrative or managerial control