death penalty
Americannoun
noun
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.
“It’s part of why I volunteered to serve in the military, to keep our country safe, but I think the death penalty has proven that it doesn’t deter crime and its been applied unfairly.”
From Los Angeles Times • May 1, 2026
It has also faced scrutiny over its use of the death penalty.
From BBC • May 1, 2026
In a 48-page memo released on Friday, the department says this will "strengthen" the death penalty, "deterring the most barbaric crimes, delivering justice for victims, and providing long-overdue closure to surviving loved ones".
From BBC • Apr. 24, 2026
A recent Gallup poll found that support for the death penalty is at a 50-year low.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 24, 2026
I told the congregation that Walter’s case had taught me that the death penalty is not about whether people deserve to die for the crimes they commit.
From "Just Mercy" by Bryan Stevenson
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.
