US
: the level of a crime that is the most serious and warranting the most severe punishment
first-de·gree
ˈfərst-di-ˈgrē 
1
US
: of the most serious type : warranting the harshest punishment
first-degree murder/theft/arson
2
: of the least harmful or mildest type
first-degree frostbite
see also first-degree burn
Examples of first degree in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Jenna Ebbers, Kansas City Star, 19 Feb. 2026
The driver of the car that hit her, Oscar Vasquez-Lopez, was arrested and charged with first degree homicide, reckless driving, driving without a valid license and failure to obey a traffic control device, according to the Chatham County Police.
—Alisha Ebrahimji, CNN Money, 17 Feb. 2026
Devoun Cetoute, Miami Herald, 14 Feb. 2026
According to federal authorities, Morales Tejada in October 2023 was convicted in Superior Court in Connecticut on charges of carrying a pistol without a permit and first-degree failure to appear.
—Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 13 Feb. 2026
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Noun
King, who is charged with one count each of first degree murder and armed criminal action after allegedly fatally shooting his neighbor, Chris Wells, a 41-year-old father and husband, during a neighborhood dispute turned physical altercation, will now have to pay $3 million less to post bond.
—Jenna Ebbers, Kansas City Star, 19 Feb. 2026
The driver of the car that hit her, Oscar Vasquez-Lopez, was arrested and charged with first degree homicide, reckless driving, driving without a valid license and failure to obey a traffic control device, according to the Chatham County Police.
—Alisha Ebrahimji, CNN Money, 17 Feb. 2026
Adjective
Jawan Jerome McBride, 21, is facing a charge of first-degree murder, his arrest report read.
—Devoun Cetoute, Miami Herald, 14 Feb. 2026
According to federal authorities, Morales Tejada in October 2023 was convicted in Superior Court in Connecticut on charges of carrying a pistol without a permit and first-degree failure to appear.
—Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 13 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for first degree
Cite this Entry
“First degree.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/first%20degree. Accessed 20 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
first-degree
adjective
: of the lowest or mildest in a series of categories : characterized by or causing the least harmful level of injury
a first-degree laceration
see also first-degree burn compare second-degree, third-degree
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