death warrant
Americannoun
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an official order authorizing the execution of the sentence of death.
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anything that ends hope, expectation, etc.
noun
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the official authorization for carrying out a sentence of death
-
to cause one's own destruction
Etymology
Origin of death warrant
First recorded in 1685–95
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.
Critics say this mothballing will amount to a death warrant, and have asked San Francisco’s Board of Supervisors to give the fountain another chance.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 7, 2026
Carr clearly got a taste for murder as the show progressed, bumping off Paloma Faith in plain sight and handing Lucy Beaumont her death warrant.
From BBC ● Oct. 30, 2025
If and when the state kills, every decision, including whether and when to issue a death warrant, must be done publicly, deliberately, and in a way that accords the condemned due process of law.
From Slate ● Sep. 15, 2025
Officials then tried a central line, which involves a catheter placed into a large vein, but were unable to complete the process before the death warrant expired.
From Seattle Times ● Jan. 22, 2024
It was his father, reading the death warrant.
From "Killers of the Flower Moon" by David Grann
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