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
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
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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
Cite this Entry
“The death penalty.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20death%20penalty. Accessed 2 Jul. 2025.
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