the death penalty

noun

: death as a punishment given by a court of law for very serious crimes : capital punishment
If convicted, he could face the death penalty.
She opposes the death penalty.

Examples of the death penalty in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
The prosecution’s decision to pursue the death penalty also added further complexity to the case. Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, FOXNews.com, 27 June 2025 He has been charged with a host of state and federal offenses, including two federal murder charges that could carry the death penalty. Theresa Braine, New York Daily News, 25 June 2025 But Thompson said a decision has not yet been made to pursue the death penalty. Bill Hutchinson, ABC News, 17 June 2025 He was arrested on Sunday evening and has been charged with federal murder, which carries the possibility of the death penalty. Benjamin Wallace-Wells, New Yorker, 17 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for the death penalty

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“The death penalty.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20death%20penalty. Accessed 6 Jul. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!