the death penalty
noun
: death as a punishment given by a court of law for very serious crimes : capital punishment
If convicted, he could face the death penalty.
She opposes the death penalty.
Examples of the death penalty in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
In 1989, Donald Trump paid $85,000 for a full-page ad in the New York Times, calling for the state to bring back the death penalty.
—
Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2024
Just before the sentencing phase, it was announced that Shepard’s family sought to spare McKinney from the death penalty and a deal was brokered for two consecutive life sentences with no possibility for parole.
—The Arizona Republic, 2 Nov. 2024
Moore previously had two execution dates postponed as the state sorted through issues that created a 13-year pause in the death penalty, including companies' refusal to sell the state lethal injection drugs, a hurdle that was solved by passing a secrecy law.
—Jeffrey Collins The Associated Press, arkansasonline.com, 2 Nov. 2024
Ganguli added that a jury would have likely imposed the death penalty during a sentencing hearing.
—Anthony Robledo, USA TODAY, 29 Oct. 2024
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Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2024
Just before the sentencing phase, it was announced that Shepard’s family sought to spare McKinney from the death penalty and a deal was brokered for two consecutive life sentences with no possibility for parole.
—The Arizona Republic, 2 Nov. 2024
Moore previously had two execution dates postponed as the state sorted through issues that created a 13-year pause in the death penalty, including companies' refusal to sell the state lethal injection drugs, a hurdle that was solved by passing a secrecy law.
—Jeffrey Collins The Associated Press, arkansasonline.com, 2 Nov. 2024
Ganguli added that a jury would have likely imposed the death penalty during a sentencing hearing.
—Anthony Robledo, USA TODAY, 29 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for the death penalty
Dictionary Entries Near the death penalty
Cite this Entry
“The death penalty.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20death%20penalty. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.
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