capital punishment
noun
: punishment by death : the practice of killing people as punishment for serious crimes
an opponent of capital punishment
Examples of capital punishment in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
This is a common practice echoed the world over in systems designed for capital punishment, including distributing blanks to firing squads and the use of elaborate sequences of false switches for the delivery of lethal injections.
—
Will Cady, SPIN, 30 Oct. 2024
Roberson’s innocence claim underscores an inherent risk of capital punishment: A potentially innocent person could be put to death.
—Dakin Andone, CNN, 17 Oct. 2024
Their sentences were reduced to life in prison in 1977 after U.S. Supreme Court rulings related to capital punishment and Roberts was released on parole in 2008.
—CBS News, 15 Aug. 2024
Alcala received the death sentence at trial, but a series of appeals, reversals and subsequent trials left Alcala in prison until 2019, when California placed a moratorium on capital punishment.
—Barry Levitt, Los Angeles Times, 21 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for capital punishment 
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.
Will Cady, SPIN, 30 Oct. 2024
Roberson’s innocence claim underscores an inherent risk of capital punishment: A potentially innocent person could be put to death.
—Dakin Andone, CNN, 17 Oct. 2024
Their sentences were reduced to life in prison in 1977 after U.S. Supreme Court rulings related to capital punishment and Roberts was released on parole in 2008.
—CBS News, 15 Aug. 2024
Alcala received the death sentence at trial, but a series of appeals, reversals and subsequent trials left Alcala in prison until 2019, when California placed a moratorium on capital punishment.
—Barry Levitt, Los Angeles Times, 21 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for capital punishment
Articles Related to capital punishment
Dictionary Entries Near capital punishment
Cite this Entry
“Capital punishment.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/capital%20punishment. Accessed 29 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share