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
Moreover, under current Supreme Court precedent, the issuance of a death warrant plays an important role in determining the kind of legal claims a death row inmate can raise.
From Slate ● Sep. 15, 2025
When Archerd’s death warrant was signed, Reiner won a last-minute stay.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 27, 2024
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
One of them spoke as though he read from a death warrant.
From "The Many Assassinations of Samir, the Seller of Dreams" by Daniel Nayeri
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.
