death row

American  

noun

death rows plural

1. a row of prison cells for prisoners awaiting execution.

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death row British  

noun

1. the part of a prison where those sentenced to death are confined

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• death rows
  plural

Etymology

Origin of death row

First recorded in 1950–55

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

death row

One of the guilty pleasures provided by “Maternal Instinct” is the unqualified loathing one feels for Parker, now on death row in Texas.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 12, 2026

The US Supreme Court has denied an appeal by the state of Alabama to execute death row prisoner Jeffery Lee using nitrogen gas.

From BBC ● Jun. 12, 2026

In 1995, Penn was lured back to the screen by friend Tim Robbins, earning his first Oscar nomination for the death row tale "Dead Man Walking."

From Barron's ● Mar. 16, 2026

And, at the prison that used to hold death row, incarcerated people are able to see the San Francisco Bay from a new education center that’s meant to help them prepare for life outside.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 8, 2026

The Court's rulings had become increasingly hostile to death row prisoners and less committed to the notion that "death is different," requiring more careful review.

From "Just Mercy" by Bryan Stevenson