stay of execution
noun phrase
: an order that temporarily stops an execution
The court issued a stay of execution.
Examples of stay of execution in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Ten Hag, the architect, earned a stay of execution.
—
Carl Anka, New York Times, 31 Jan. 2026
More than a year after the clock began ticking for two familiar buildings at the Boise Spectrum, a last-minute stay of execution has been granted.
—Michael Deeds, Idaho Statesman, 19 Jan. 2026
The court denied the latest appeal, but the lawyers got another stay of execution.
—Literary Hub, 12 Jan. 2026
In October, as the podcast drew national attention to the case and uncovered new information through interviews with people who had never spoken publicly, Roberson was granted a stay of execution by the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, which returned the case to the trial court.
—Lester Holt, NBC news, 19 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for stay of execution
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Carl Anka, New York Times, 31 Jan. 2026
More than a year after the clock began ticking for two familiar buildings at the Boise Spectrum, a last-minute stay of execution has been granted.
—Michael Deeds, Idaho Statesman, 19 Jan. 2026
The court denied the latest appeal, but the lawyers got another stay of execution.
—Literary Hub, 12 Jan. 2026
In October, as the podcast drew national attention to the case and uncovered new information through interviews with people who had never spoken publicly, Roberson was granted a stay of execution by the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, which returned the case to the trial court.
—Lester Holt, NBC news, 19 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for stay of execution
Cite this Entry
“Stay of execution.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stay%20of%20execution. Accessed 3 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
