death sentence
noun
a sentence condemning a convicted felon to execution by the state.
death sentences
-
pluralof death sentence.plural
The grammatical form denoting more than one person, place, thing, or idea.
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.
"Christa Pike was sentenced to death more than 30 years ago, at a time when support for the death penalty was much higher, we had more than 300 new death sentences every year," Maher said.
From Barron's ● Oct. 19, 2026
Though California has not performed an execution since 2006, prosecutors in some areas of the state continue to seek and win death sentences.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 8, 2026
Lebanon has not carried out an execution since January 2004, although courts have continued to hand down death sentences.
From BBC ● Aug. 11, 2026
Gregg said that death sentences and executions could resume because the court was satisfied that the penalty could be administered in a way that guaranteed that capital defendants would be treated fairly and equally.
From Slate ● Jun. 8, 2026
The problem was so significant in Illinois that in 2003, Governor George Ryan, a Republican, citing the unreliability of capital punishment, commuted the death sentences of all 167 people on death row.
From "Just Mercy" by Bryan Stevenson
