death sentence

noun

1
: a sentence condemning a convicted defendant to death
2
: an affliction or a situation that is considered to be fatal
also : a prognosis of death

Examples of death sentence in a Sentence

She received a death sentence for the murders.
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.
Imagine you’re diagnosed with lung cancer, which historically had been a death sentence. — Jens Ludwig, Chicago Tribune, 18 Oct. 2026 If Christa Pike's recovery from two doses of the lethal injection drug pentobarbital has left her mentally impaired, she could be spared from her death sentence, according to a leading expert on capital punishment in the United States. — Michael Ruiz, FOXNews.com, 15 Oct. 2026 By 1776, nearly 200 offenses carried a possible death sentence in England. — Maurizio Valsania, The Conversation, 14 Oct. 2026 Opposition or hesitancy has been less focused on Hasan's death sentence which has broad support among Republicans, but on the decision to broadcast it. — ABC News, 13 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for death sentence

Word History

First Known Use

1655, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of death sentence was in 1655

Rhymes for death sentence

See All Rhymes for death sentence

Browse Nearby Words

death row
death sentence
deathsman
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Death sentence.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/death%20sentence. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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Legal Definition

death sentence

see also:
sentence
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