US
: the level of a crime that is the most serious and warranting the most severe punishment
first-de·gree
ˈfərst-di-ˈgrē 
1
US
: of the most serious type : warranting the harshest punishment
first-degree murder/theft/arson
2
: of the least harmful or mildest type
first-degree frostbite
see also first-degree burn
Examples of first degree in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Brian Mann, NPR, 10 Dec. 2025
Marquise Bankston was charged with two counts of first degree assault, three counts of armed criminal action, one count of unlawful use of a weapon and one count of unlawful possession of a weapon with a dangerous felon or prior conviction, according to a Jackson County Prosecutor’s Office.
—Noelle Alviz-Gransee, Kansas City Star, 4 Dec. 2025
Pj Green, Kansas City Star, 12 Dec. 2025
The swift reactions came in the aftermath of Justin Tawse Brigham, 44, being charged Thursday with statutory rape of a child, indecent liberties with a child and first-degree burglary.
—Chase Jordan, Charlotte Observer, 12 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for first degree
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Noun
Lakanwal has pleaded not guilty to first degree murder and other charges.
—Brian Mann, NPR, 10 Dec. 2025
Marquise Bankston was charged with two counts of first degree assault, three counts of armed criminal action, one count of unlawful use of a weapon and one count of unlawful possession of a weapon with a dangerous felon or prior conviction, according to a Jackson County Prosecutor’s Office.
—Noelle Alviz-Gransee, Kansas City Star, 4 Dec. 2025
Adjective
Tyler Huntington, 30, is charged with two counts of armed criminal action, unlawful use of a weapon, and first-degree assault and is being held on a $150,000 cash-only bond.
—Pj Green, Kansas City Star, 12 Dec. 2025
The swift reactions came in the aftermath of Justin Tawse Brigham, 44, being charged Thursday with statutory rape of a child, indecent liberties with a child and first-degree burglary.
—Chase Jordan, Charlotte Observer, 12 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for first degree
Cite this Entry
“First degree.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/first%20degree. Accessed 18 Dec. 2025.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
first-degree
adjective
: of the lowest or mildest in a series of categories : characterized by or causing the least harmful level of injury
a first-degree laceration
see also first-degree burn compare second-degree, third-degree
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