execution

American  

[ek-si-kyoo-shuhn] / ˌɛk sɪˈkyu ʃən /

noun

1. the act or process of executing.

2. the state or fact of being executed.

3. the infliction of capital punishment or, formerly, of any legal punishment.

4. the process of performing a judgment or sentence of a court.

   The judge stayed execution of the sentence pending appeal.

5. a mode or style of performance; technical skill, as in music.

   The pianist's execution of the sonata was consummate.

6. effective, usually destructive action, or the result attained by it (usually preceded bydo ).

   The grenades did rapid execution.

7. Law. a judicial writ directing the enforcement of a judgment.

8. Computers. the act of running, or the results of having run, a program or routine, or the performance of an instruction.

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execution British  

/ ˌɛksɪˈkjuːʃən /

noun

1. the act or process of executing

2. the carrying out or undergoing of a sentence of death

3. the style or manner in which something is accomplished or performed; technique

   as a pianist his execution is poor

4. 1. the enforcement of the judgment of a court of law

   2. the writ ordering such enforcement

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• nonexecution
  noun
• executional
  adjective
• preexecution
  noun
• reexecution
  noun

Etymology

Origin of execution

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English execucioun, from Latin ex(s)ecūtiōn-, stem of ex(s)ecūtiō “accomplishment, performance”; equivalent to execute + -ion

Explanation

The planning stage of building a tree house is the fun part — the hard part is the execution of your plan. Execution is taking an idea and actually making it happen. The execution of a plan is when you put it into effect, like the execution on the field of a football team's game plan. It can also mean the style in which a project is carried out, like a ballet's creative execution. Execution can also refer to the death of a person, either a prisoner who's been sentenced to death by a court of law, or a deliberate, targeted murder, especially when it's done for political reasons.

Example Sentences

Execution matters, and missteps—whether regulatory, technical, or reputational—could quickly erode the gains AI delivers.

From Barron's • Feb. 1, 2026

Execution risks remain, as does uncertainty surrounding the U.S. tariff quota system, Deutsche adds.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 31, 2025

His most recent book is "Lethal Injection and the False Promise of Humane Execution."

From Salon • May 20, 2025

“The Execution of All Things” and “With Arms Outstretched” were crisp and strummy, while “The Moneymaker” rode a raunchy soul-rock groove and “Dreamworld” evoked the glossy menace of mid-’70s Fleetwood Mac.

From Los Angeles Times • May 11, 2025

I wind my way down from Blackcliff, out of the Illustrian Quarter and into Execution Square, home to the city’s largest open-air market as well as one of only two couriers’ offices.

From "An Ember in the Ashes" by Sabaa Tahir