execute
Americanverb (used with object)
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to carry out; accomplish.
to execute a plan or order.
- Synonyms:
- finish, consummate, complete, achieve
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to perform or do.
to execute a maneuver;
to execute a gymnastic feat.
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to inflict capital punishment on; put to death according to law.
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to murder; assassinate.
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to produce in accordance with a plan or design.
a painting executed by an unknown artist.
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to perform or play (a piece of music).
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Law.
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to give effect or force to (a law, decree, judicial sentence, etc.).
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to carry out the terms of (a will).
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to transact or carry through (a contract, mortgage, etc.) in the manner prescribed by law; complete and give validity to (a legal instrument) by fulfilling the legal requirements, as by signing or sealing.
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Computers. to run (a program or routine) or carry out (an instruction in a program).
verb (used without object)
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to perform or accomplish something, as an assigned task.
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Sports. to perform properly the fundamental moves or mechanics of a sport, game, position, or particular play; show smoothness in necessary skills.
We just didn't execute defensively.
verb
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to put (a condemned person) to death; inflict capital punishment upon
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to carry out; complete; perform; do
to execute an order
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to perform; accomplish; effect
to execute a pirouette
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to make or produce
to execute a drawing
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to carry into effect (a judicial sentence, the law, etc); enforce
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law to comply with legal formalities in order to render (a deed, etc) effective, as by signing, sealing, and delivering
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to sign (a will) in the presence of witnesses and in accordance with other legal formalities
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to carry out the terms of (a contract, will, etc)
Synonym Usage
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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executernoun
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outexecuteverb (used with object)
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preexecuteverb (used with object)
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reexecuteverb (used with object)
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executableadjective
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nonexecutableadjective
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unexecutableadjective
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unexecutingadjective
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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executesimple
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executessimple
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have executedperfect
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has executedperfect
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am executingprogressive
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are executingprogressive
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is executingprogressive
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have been executingperfect progressive
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has been executingperfect progressive
Past
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executedsimple
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had executedperfect
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was executingprogressive
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were executingprogressive
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had been executingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of execute
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English executen, from Old French executer, from Medieval Latin execūtāre, derivative of Latin execūtus, past participle of ex(s)equī “to follow up, carry out (punishment), execute”; see ex- 1, sequence
Explanation
To execute means to carry out in full or perform. If you execute all the difficult steps of the dance perfectly, you will make your instructor proud. Here’s what’s tricky about execute: the first thing you think of is being punished with death for criminal actions. Actually, it's more commonly used in the sense of “to carry out in full.” So don't be alarmed with visions of the hooded guy at the guillotine when someone congratulates you on a plan well executed. Think of the word executive to get a closer grasp of both the meaning and the context.
Vocabulary lists containing execute
The SAT: Multiple-Meaning Words, List 4
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"Diary of a Wimpy Kid" by Jeff Kinney
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The Watsons Go to Birmingham
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Initially, the prototype could follow simple voice commands to execute tasks across apps, including ordering food and comparing shopping prices.
From Barron's ● Jul. 19, 2026
"It is filmmaking at a magnitude few modern directors could ever realistically imagine, demand, or execute."
From BBC ● Jul. 15, 2026
“From the moment that he said yes we’ve been on the phone talking about his vision and how to execute it,” says Johanna Rees, vice president of programming and creative partnerships at the L.A.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 8, 2026
It sounds like you know what to do, but are also aware of how stressful it will be to execute.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 30, 2026
Before commending himself to his destiny, however, the astronaut implored the engineers to execute one more check: a review of the orbital trajectory that had been generated by the IBM 7090 computer.
From "Hidden Figures" by Margot Lee Shetterly
One of the others is the Brick, that little piece of plastic that has exactly one job—to make my phone stop working in distracting ways—and executes it to perfection.
From Slate ● Jun. 10, 2026
He said that Schulman’s focus on cost-cutting and simplifying plans for customers could help inject stability into the business if Verizon executes well.
From MarketWatch ● Apr. 2, 2026
The model, acting as a planner, “dynamically decides which skills and tools it needs to solve the problem, iterates on the plan, and executes it without rigid preprogramming,” Salazar said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 5, 2026
He adds that the general executes his responsibilities to the best of his abilities.
From BBC ● Jan. 30, 2026
She executes a perfect curtsey, and then she turns and leaves.
From "The Night Circus" by Erin Morgenstern
“I really executed every option, and when I was devastated, I saw Gianni again at the UFC fight,” she says.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 18, 2026
The Supreme Court told us in Slaughter that the president’s constitutional duty is to take care that the laws be faithfully executed.
From Slate ● Jul. 13, 2026
Completed buybacks — not just authorized repurchases but ones that are actually executed — are also running at a record pace, according to Rubin.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 10, 2026
"But it says, formally and finally, that Ruth should not have been executed; that the justice system failed her," she added.
From Barron's ● Jul. 8, 2026
He yelled out “Ow!” and instead of catching Dimple, used his arms to fend her off with a deftly executed karate chop.
From "When Dimple Met Rishi" by Sandhya Menon
Multiple news outlets and a former federal immigration official said the order allows for exceptions if officers are executing a criminal warrant and working with partner law enforcement agencies.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 14, 2026
New technologies are upending military doctrines on everything from procurement to executing operations, writes Yaroslav Trofimov.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 7, 2026
The FTC, the court said, “unquestionably exercises executive power,” its work the very essence of executing the law.
From Slate ● Jun. 30, 2026
Despite his superstar status, he made long and intense recovery runs before executing perfectly timed slide tackles to stop dangerously fast breaks.
From BBC ● Jun. 28, 2026
It was a fascinating experience to follow a year spent executing American policies as a soldier overseas with one watching how those policies are formulated.
From "The Other Wes Moore: One Name, Two Fates" by Wes Moore
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
