life sentence

noun

: the punishment of being sent to prison for the rest of one's life
He received a life sentence for his crimes.

Examples of life sentence in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web A week after his arrest, Anderson was charged with first-degree intentional homicide (which carries a life sentence), mutilating a corpse and arson. Julia Gomez, USA TODAY, 16 Apr. 2024 Suspect identified:Woman arrested in 2005 case of baby found in Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport trash can Under Arizona homicide law, first-degree murder is punishable by a prison life sentence or the death penalty. Kayla Jackson, The Arizona Republic, 13 Apr. 2024 Ridge was serving a life sentence for two second-degree murder convictions from 2004 until 2019, when a change in California law led to his release from jail. Nate Gartrell, The Mercury News, 11 Apr. 2024 Ethan Crumbley, now 17, is serving a life sentence for murder and other crimes. Ed White, The Christian Science Monitor, 10 Apr. 2024 Ethan Crumbley, who was 15 at the time of the shooting, pleaded guilty to his crimes and is serving a life sentence without the possibility of parole. Tresa Baldas, Detroit Free Press, 9 Apr. 2024 Nassar is currently serving a life sentence for his crimes. Sari Hitchins, Parents, 1 Apr. 2024 According to the plea deal, prosecutors agreed not to seek a life sentence without parole in exchange for Baron’s plea. Julia Moore, Peoplemag, 19 Mar. 2024 Book said the building – which is set to be demolished this summer now that the trial for the shooter has been concluded, with Nikolas Cruz receiving a life sentence – still carries a disturbing power that remains relevant to the ongoing debate over guns and school safety. Alyssa Johnson, Miami Herald, 22 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'life sentence.' 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 life sentence

Cite this Entry

“Life sentence.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/life%20sentence. Accessed 23 Apr. 2024.

Legal Definition

life sentence

see sentence

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