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
She was convicted in March 1993 and handed the death penalty later that year.
—
Kevin Fixler
september 5, Idaho Statesman, 5 Sep. 2025
They have since been placed under immigration detainers as prosecutors seek the death penalty.
—Alexandra Koch, FOXNews.com, 4 Sep. 2025
Chapter 12 of the code states that a person convicted of a capital felony faces life in prison without the opportunity for parole or the death penalty.
—Michael Nied, PEOPLE, 4 Sep. 2025
Mangione is facing the death penalty in federal court after allegedly gunning down UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in Manhattan in December.
—Ramishah Maruf, CNN Money, 3 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for the death penalty
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.
Kevin Fixler
september 5, Idaho Statesman, 5 Sep. 2025
They have since been placed under immigration detainers as prosecutors seek the death penalty.
—Alexandra Koch, FOXNews.com, 4 Sep. 2025
Chapter 12 of the code states that a person convicted of a capital felony faces life in prison without the opportunity for parole or the death penalty.
—Michael Nied, PEOPLE, 4 Sep. 2025
Mangione is facing the death penalty in federal court after allegedly gunning down UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in Manhattan in December.
—Ramishah Maruf, CNN Money, 3 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for the death penalty
Cite this Entry
“The death penalty.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20death%20penalty. Accessed 11 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share