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

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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

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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
What are the charges and potential sentences? Adam Reiss, NBC news, 8 Mar. 2026 Hemesath and Fogg, though, said a long sentence was necessary given the magnitude of the fraud. Sharon Bernstein, Sacbee.com, 6 Mar. 2026
Verb
Jurors convicted her of murder and related charges, sentencing her to three life terms in prison. Austin Sanders, Austin American Statesman, 9 Mar. 2026 Her husband, Rafael Ibarra Roque, was arrested for alleged sabotage in 1994 and sentenced to 20 years in Cuban prison. Sofia Saric, The Orlando Sentinel, 9 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for sentence
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sentence
Noun
  • Khamenei was both Hezbollah’s political ally and its paramount spiritual guide; the group followed his religious rulings and used his authority to legitimize violent acts.
    Sudarsan Raghavan, New Yorker, 12 Mar. 2026
  • On Monday, a judge issued a default eviction ruling in favor of Rourke’s landlord, Eric Goldie, for possession of the home and termination of the rental agreement, according to documents in Los Angeles Superior Court.
    Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 11 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • He should be praised, not condemned.
    Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 11 Mar. 2026
  • Banned by more than 120 nations under the 2008 Convention on Cluster Munitions, the weapons are widely condemned for their broad-area, indiscriminate effects that often result in catastrophic civilian harm.
    Emma Bussey, FOXNews.com, 11 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • Those with life sentences will serve part of them in a prison and the rest in a special regime penal colony, according to the verdict.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 13 Mar. 2026
  • The verdict was returned about seven hours after jurors resumed deliberations following a long weekend recess.
    Corey J. Murray, USA Today, 12 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • There’s water everywhere, approach angles that punish the wrong side of the fairway, and a closing stretch with a long history of turning good rounds into cautionary tales.
    Jenny Catlin, New York Times, 12 Mar. 2026
  • During an explosive court hearing in the lawsuit accusing former Miami Commissioner Joe Carollo of using city resources to punish political opponents, an unexpected character with little connection to City Hall took center stage this week.
    Linda Robertson, Miami Herald, 11 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Leaders today should remember the story of Neville Chamberlain because, as George Santayana said, whoever shall forget the past is doomed to repeat it.
    Bobby Zirkin, Baltimore Sun, 8 Mar. 2026
  • But then the 1-20 stretch early last season doomed such hopes.
    CBS News, CBS News, 8 Mar. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Sentence.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sentence. Accessed 14 Mar. 2026.

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