sentence 1 of 2

Definition of sentencenext
as in ruling
a decision made by a court or tribunal regarding a case it has heard he received a light sentence because it was his first offense and he was an otherwise upstanding citizen

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

sentence

2 of 2

verb

as in to condemn
to impose a judicial punishment on the judge sentenced him to a fine of $50 and time served

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of sentence
Noun
Campbell said the Colorado and San Diego County sentences are to be served concurrently. Teri Figueroa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 Jan. 2026 Nikita Casap faces two sentences of life in prison for the murders. David Zimmermann, The Washington Examiner, 8 Jan. 2026
Verb
Gonzales has pleaded not guilty to child abandonment or endangerment and could be sentenced to a maximum of two years in prison if convicted. CBS News, 7 Jan. 2026 He could be sentenced to a maximum of two years in prison if he’s convicted, prosecutors said. Greg Norman-Diamond, FOXNews.com, 7 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for sentence
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sentence
Noun
  • He was granted release from detention during the short window when federal judges issued rulings that blocked ICE from deporting Venezuelans with TPS such as himself.
    Natalia Jaramillo, The Orlando Sentinel, 11 Jan. 2026
  • Multiple studies, bipartisan election officials, and court rulings across the country have found fraud rates measured not in percentages, but in fractions of a fraction of a percent.
    Coalition, Hartford Courant, 11 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • Most lawmakers who condemned the incident did not call it a murder in their public statements.
    Caitlin Yilek, CBS News, 8 Jan. 2026
  • The United States should be condemned by the international community and all peoples of this earth.
    Elie Mystal, Washington Post, 7 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • As outrage over the verdict catalyzed activist campaigns into criminalizing spousal rape in every state (only achieved, with many loopholes, in 1993) the town of Salem, Oregon just wanted to move on.
    Sarah Weinman, Rolling Stone, 9 Nov. 2025
  • In October 2025, a Florida appeals court overturned that verdict.
    Sophie Dodd, PEOPLE, 9 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • Fret about finding ways to score and the offense punishes you.
    Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 10 Jan. 2026
  • The state’s drought-free status is welcome news for water managers, but residents in some regions are still recovering from a series of punishing atmospheric river storms that brought intense rain and flooding.
    Denise Chow, NBC news, 9 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • Poor perimeter shooting doomed the team in his absence, as the Celtics went just 9-for-35 from 3-point range (26%) in the loss.
    Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 13 Jan. 2026
  • Philadelphia was again doomed by a lethargic offensive effort that cost it a shot at a repeat championship.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 12 Jan. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Sentence.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sentence. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on sentence

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!