life sentence

noun

plural life sentences
: a sentence of imprisonment for the remainder of a convicted person's life when there is no possibility of parole or for a minimum number of years under applicable law until the convicted person becomes eligible for and is granted parole

Examples of life sentence in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Anthony faces five to 99 years or a life sentence if convicted. Dawn White, CBS News, 7 June 2026 Bradley's killer, Eugene McCollom, pleaded guilty years ago and is serving a life sentence. Brittany Miller, FOXNews.com, 7 June 2026 The bank is where Suzanna’s mother, Helen, committed the crime that resulted in her life sentence. Laura Miller, The New York Review of Books, 6 June 2026 Rebecca Grossman, 62, co-founder of the Grossman Burn Foundation, is serving a 15-year-to-life sentence for her 2024 conviction on two counts each of second-degree murder and vehicular manslaughter and one count of hit-and-run driving. Cnn.com Wire Service, Mercury News, 4 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for life sentence

Word History

First Known Use

1817, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of life sentence was in 1817

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Cite this Entry

“Life sentence.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/life%20sentence. Accessed 11 Jun. 2026.

Legal Definition

life sentence

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