lynch

\ ˈlinch

How to pronounce lynch (audio)

\

lynched; lynching; lynches

Definition of lynch

transitive verb

: to put to death (as by hanging) by mob action without legal approval or permission The accused killer was lynched by an angry mob.

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Examples of lynch in a Sentence

The accused killer was lynched by an angry mob.

Recent Examples on the Web The memorial features 800 massive steel blocks that are suspended from the ceiling, each etched with the name of a county in which African Americans were lynched, and if known, the names of the victims. — Elaine Ayala, ExpressNews.com, "Ayala: San Antonio overcompensates for the sins of others with its MLK events," 14 Jan. 2020 The Klan and other white supremacists terrorized and murdered former slaves; nativists lynched Italian immigrants and shot Jews. — Diane Roberts, The New Republic, "Celebrating 150 Years of Simulated Warfare," 6 Nov. 2019 Tensions ran high, crowds gathered outside the courthouse and a local newspaper suggested that the man might be lynched, prompting some black residents to arm themselves and patrol the streets. — BostonGlobe.com, "Possible mass graves from 1921 racist massacre in Tulsa found," 17 Dec. 2019 Tensions ran high, crowds gathered outside the courthouse and a local newspaper suggested that the man might be lynched, prompting some black residents to arm themselves and patrol the streets. — New York Times, "Tulsa Sites May Hold Mass Graves From ‘Black Wall Street’ Massacre," 17 Dec. 2019 State and local governments established an intensely repressive, hyper-patriotic regime, in which citizens were jailed for failing to buy war bonds, and lynched and murdered for voicing antiwar sentiments. — Trevor Paulhus, Smithsonian, "When the Socialist Revolution Came to Oklahoma—and Was Crushed," 19 Sep. 2019 Holt had aired segments on his own discovery — at the National Memorial for Peace and Justice (informally known as the National Lynching Museum) — that one of his ancestors had probably been lynched. — Sarah Ellison, Washington Post, "Lester Holt’s path from country music DJ to the most powerful perch in news," 6 Sep. 2019 Saying you’ve been lynched is like working long hours and calling yourself a slave. — Leonard Greene, Twin Cities, "Leonard Greene: Political ‘victims’ who create their own problems need to stop saying they were ‘lynched’ and find a different word," 31 Oct. 2019 According to historical accounts, black residents gathered around the courthouse after Rowland was arrested, fearing he had been lynched by a mob. — Gromer Jeffers Jr., Dallas News, "Beto O'Rourke, taking retooled message to Oklahoma, calls Trump a racist 'demagogue'," 19 Aug. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'lynch.' 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

17 Jan 2020

Cite this Entry

“Lynch.” The Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster Inc., https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lynch. Accessed 26 January 2020.

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