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
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.
The defense team asked that Graf block the death penalty in the case, claiming the prosecutors' comments could sway potential jurors. Kerry Breen, CBS News, 26 June 2026 Prosecutors decided in 2020 not to seek the death penalty against Romero and Holston. Rafael Olmeda, Sun Sentinel, 26 June 2026 The latest ruling comes less than a week after Judge Graf denied Robinson's request to strike the death penalty as a possible punishment. Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 2 July 2026 Now, a former FBI agent is saying that the person behind a new ransom note sent to the family might be attempting to save themselves from the death penalty if caught. Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 30 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for the death penalty

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“The death penalty.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20death%20penalty. Accessed 9 Jul. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster