execute

American  

[ek-si-kyoot] / ˈɛk sɪˌkjut /

verb (used with object)

• executes,
  present (3rd person singular)
• executed,
  past participle,  past
• executing
  present participle

1. to carry out; accomplish.

   to execute a plan or order.

   Synonyms:

   finish, consummate, complete, achieve

2. to perform or do.

   to execute a maneuver;

   to execute a gymnastic feat.

3. to inflict capital punishment on; put to death according to law.

4. to murder; assassinate.

5. to produce in accordance with a plan or design.

   a painting executed by an unknown artist.

6. to perform or play (a piece of music).

7. Law.

   1. to give effect or force to (a law, decree, judicial sentence, etc.).

   2. to carry out the terms of (a will).

   3. 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.

8. Computers. to run (a program or routine) or carry out (an instruction in a program).

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verb (used without object)

• executes,
  present (3rd person singular)
• executed,
  past participle,  past
• executing
  present participle

1. to perform or accomplish something, as an assigned task.

2. 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.

execute British  

/ ˈɛksɪˌkjuːt /

verb

1. to put (a condemned person) to death; inflict capital punishment upon

2. to carry out; complete; perform; do

   to execute an order

3. to perform; accomplish; effect

   to execute a pirouette

4. to make or produce

   to execute a drawing

5. to carry into effect (a judicial sentence, the law, etc); enforce

6. law to comply with legal formalities in order to render (a deed, etc) effective, as by signing, sealing, and delivering

7. to sign (a will) in the presence of witnesses and in accordance with other legal formalities

8. to carry out the terms of (a contract, will, etc)

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Synonym Usage

See perform. See kill ¹.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• executer
  noun
• outexecute
  verb (used with object)
• preexecute
  verb (used with object)
• reexecute
  verb (used with object)
• executable
  adjective
• nonexecutable
  adjective
• unexecutable
  adjective
• unexecuting
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Participles

• executing
  present
• executed
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• execute
  simple
• executes
  simple
• have executed
  perfect
• has executed
  perfect
• am executing
  progressive
• are executing
  progressive
• is executing
  progressive
• have been executing
  perfect progressive
• has been executing
  perfect progressive

Past

• executed
  simple
• had executed
  perfect
• was executing
  progressive
• were executing
  progressive
• had been executing
  perfect progressive

Future

• will execute
  simple
• will have executed
  perfect
• will be executing
  progressive
• will have been executing
  perfect progressive

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.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

execute executes executed executing

Reports of a takeover offer have propped up PayPal’s stock in recent months, but now the company may have to execute a turnaround on its own.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 31, 2026

Meanwhile, “harnesses” refer to the process of “providing the AI model with access to non-AI software and capabilities,” thus enabling agents to execute tasks, he added.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 28, 2026

Here is a writer and director with not just plenty on his mind, but the preternatural proficiency to execute those ideas in haunting, humorous and really quite moving ways.

From Salon ● Aug. 24, 2026

He is captain at Sussex, the next oldest member of this squad after Root at 32, and has the skill to execute his own plan.

From BBC ● Aug. 19, 2026

The enormously complicated sequence of movements, each of which an oarsman must execute with exquisite precision, becomes exponentially more difficult to perform as the stroke rate increases.

From "The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics" by Daniel James Brown

Analysts at Oppenheimer led by Colin Rusch said they “continue to be encouraged by the company’s capital efficiency as it executes against growth initiatives while buying back stock.”

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 22, 2026

And whoever executes their gameplan the best will lift the trophy.

From BBC ● Jul. 11, 2026

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

Raising their recommendation to outperform from neutral, the investment bank’s analysts tell clients in a note that News Corp’s earnings are benefiting as the organization executes on content license deals with AI companies.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 11, 2026

She executes a perfect curtsey, and then she turns and leaves.

From "The Night Circus" by Erin Morgenstern

Since wartime executions resumed on March 19, two people have also been executed in connection with the "Woman. Life. Freedom." protests that erupted in 2022.

From Barron's ● Aug. 27, 2026

Coincidentally, last March, Ward gave the green light for Carruthers’ execution after his attorneys had argued that Carruthers was not competent to be executed because he was “consumed by psychotic delusions.”

From Slate ● Aug. 25, 2026

With the opposition slower to shuffle back across, the direct pass to the forward dropping deep was then played - the same pattern but executed slightly differently against a different formation.

From BBC ● Aug. 22, 2026

For Daisy Dixon, who teaches philosophy at Cardiff University, the idea has nothing to do with art that is poorly executed, intellectually meretricious, technically sloppy or aesthetically kitschy.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 21, 2026

In many cases, whether you lived free or were sent to prison or were executed depended simply on whether the person who tried you was in the right mood.

From "A Thousand Sisters" by Elizabeth Wein

On guitar, Thorn offers a sound that can be as classic as you need it to be while immaculately executing new Whigsian concoctions.

From Salon ● Aug. 25, 2026

"While there's still meaningful work ahead, we're encouraged by the progress we're making and remain focused on executing with discipline," said chief executive Michael Fiddelke.

From BBC ● Aug. 19, 2026

His obsessive court rituals — including meticulously aligning his water bottles and executing his precise pre-point routines — were not merely superstitions, but coping mechanisms in a high-stress, solitary sport.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 18, 2026

The results of that investigation could transform the death penalty debate by offering more evidence about our ugly recent history of executing the innocent.

From Slate ● Aug. 13, 2026

But when it comes to executing plans, well, that’s for ninjas.

From "As Brave As You" by Jason Reynolds

Related Words

• accomplish
• complete
• do
• enact
• enforce
• implement
• meet
• perform
• prosecute
• pull off
• take care of