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

Newsom ordered the dismantling of San Quentin’s death row and execution chamber.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 8, 2026

Represent some people on death row, bring some prison-condition cases, do something about all sorts of issues.

From Slate ● Aug. 22, 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

A legal maneuver once reserved for death row inmates and suspected terrorists has become the only recourse for immigrant detainees, who have flooded federal courts in California with thousands of petitions for freedom.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 9, 2026

In February 1989, Eva Ansley and I opened our new nonprofit law center in Tuscaloosa, dedicated to providing free, quality legal services to condemned men and women on death row in Alabama.

From "Just Mercy" by Bryan Stevenson