the stake

noun

: a post that a person was tied to and burned on in the past as a form of punishment
Joan of Arc was burned at the stake.

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web Seeing somebody get burned at the stake sucks you in in a way that nothing else does. —David Marchese David Marchesephotograph By Mamadi Doumbouya, New York Times, 17 Feb. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'the stake.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Dictionary Entries Near the stake

the stacks

the stake

the stalls

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“The stake.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20stake. Accessed 1 Apr. 2023.

Copy Citation

Share

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!

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of shenanigans

See Definitions and Examples »

Test Your Vocabulary

Love It or Hate It

  • heart-fire
  • When asked about her blind date, Carol spoke for hours with vitriol.
True or False

Test your knowledge - and maybe learn something along the way.

TAKE THE QUIZ
Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can with using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.

Can you make 12 words with 7 letters?

PLAY
Words at Play
Ask the Editors
Word Games