execute

American  

[ek-si-kyoot] / ˈɛk sɪˌkjut /

verb (used with object)

• executes,
  present (3rd person singular)
• executed,
  past participle,  past
• executing
  present participle

1. to carry out; accomplish.

   to execute a plan or order.

   Synonyms:

   finish, consummate, complete, achieve

2. to perform or do.

   to execute a maneuver;

   to execute a gymnastic feat.

3. to inflict capital punishment on; put to death according to law.

4. to murder; assassinate.

5. to produce in accordance with a plan or design.

   a painting executed by an unknown artist.

6. to perform or play (a piece of music).

7. Law.

   1. to give effect or force to (a law, decree, judicial sentence, etc.).

   2. to carry out the terms of (a will).

   3. to transact or carry through (a contract, mortgage, etc.) in the manner prescribed by law; complete and give validity to (a legal instrument) by fulfilling the legal requirements, as by signing or sealing.

8. Computers. to run (a program or routine) or carry out (an instruction in a program).

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verb (used without object)

• executes,
  present (3rd person singular)
• executed,
  past participle,  past
• executing
  present participle

1. to perform or accomplish something, as an assigned task.

2. Sports. to perform properly the fundamental moves or mechanics of a sport, game, position, or particular play; show smoothness in necessary skills.

   We just didn't execute defensively.

execute British  

/ ˈɛksɪˌkjuːt /

verb

1. to put (a condemned person) to death; inflict capital punishment upon

2. to carry out; complete; perform; do

   to execute an order

3. to perform; accomplish; effect

   to execute a pirouette

4. to make or produce

   to execute a drawing

5. to carry into effect (a judicial sentence, the law, etc); enforce

6. law to comply with legal formalities in order to render (a deed, etc) effective, as by signing, sealing, and delivering

7. to sign (a will) in the presence of witnesses and in accordance with other legal formalities

8. to carry out the terms of (a contract, will, etc)

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Synonym Usage

See perform. See kill ¹.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• executer
  noun
• outexecute
  verb (used with object)
• preexecute
  verb (used with object)
• reexecute
  verb (used with object)
• executable
  adjective
• nonexecutable
  adjective
• unexecutable
  adjective
• unexecuting
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Participles

• executing
  present
• executed
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• execute
  simple
• executes
  simple
• have executed
  perfect
• has executed
  perfect
• am executing
  progressive
• are executing
  progressive
• is executing
  progressive
• have been executing
  perfect progressive
• has been executing
  perfect progressive

Past

• executed
  simple
• had executed
  perfect
• was executing
  progressive
• were executing
  progressive
• had been executing
  perfect progressive

Future

• will execute
  simple
• will have executed
  perfect
• will be executing
  progressive
• will have been executing
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of execute

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English executen, from Old French executer, from Medieval Latin execūtāre, derivative of Latin execūtus, past participle of ex(s)equī “to follow up, carry out (punishment), execute”; see ex- ¹, sequence

Explanation

To execute means to carry out in full or perform. If you execute all the difficult steps of the dance perfectly, you will make your instructor proud. Here’s what’s tricky about execute: the first thing you think of is being punished with death for criminal actions. Actually, it's more commonly used in the sense of “to carry out in full.” So don't be alarmed with visions of the hooded guy at the guillotine when someone congratulates you on a plan well executed. Think of the word executive to get a closer grasp of both the meaning and the context.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

execute executes executed executing

Here is a writer and director with not just plenty on his mind, but the preternatural proficiency to execute those ideas in haunting, humorous and really quite moving ways.

From Salon ● Aug. 24, 2026

“We just have to execute better,” he said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 22, 2026

An agentic Siri will need to go beyond chatbot capabilities to retrieve personalized context on devices and execute multistep workflows.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 20, 2026

He is captain at Sussex, the next oldest member of this squad after Root at 32, and has the skill to execute his own plan.

From BBC ● Aug. 19, 2026

With the growing corruption of Adarlan and the king’s campaign to hunt them down and execute them, the faeries and Fae fled, seeking shelter in the wild, untouched places of the world.

From "Throne of Glass" by Sarah J. Maas

Indeed, Vought and Paoletta are close allies—Vought executes the dubious budgetary procedures; Paoletta handles the legal arguments.

From Slate ● Aug. 4, 2026

And whoever executes their gameplan the best will lift the trophy.

From BBC ● Jul. 11, 2026

Citadel executes roughly 35% of all retail order volume in the U.S., making it the largest market maker trading against this cohort.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 1, 2026

Early is so certain of everything he wants his debut film to be, and executes those desires with such consistent dexterity and style that watching “Maddie’s Secret” is akin to seeing someone win the lottery.

From Salon ● Jun. 22, 2026

She executes a perfect curtsey, and then she turns and leaves.

From "The Night Circus" by Erin Morgenstern

He pointed to the exceptional sports facility upgrades Long Beach City College has already executed, including its pool and beach volleyball courts.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 23, 2026

With the opposition slower to shuffle back across, the direct pass to the forward dropping deep was then played - the same pattern but executed slightly differently against a different formation.

From BBC ● Aug. 22, 2026

Executives said they were committed to lowering prices, noting that the company executed more than 11,000 "rollbacks" -- or price cuts -- in the quarter.

From Barron's ● Aug. 20, 2026

One wonderfully executed sequence, in which Jonathan’s aunt calmly utters uncomfortable truths to the hypocritical and insensitive diners around her, is shocking and hilarious.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 19, 2026

It turned out that I’d executed well enough to earn a score of 15.866, which put me in first place, about a point ahead of Aly, who’d also performed a strong Amanar.

From "Courage to Soar" by Simone Biles

"While there's still meaningful work ahead, we're encouraged by the progress we're making and remain focused on executing with discipline," said chief executive Michael Fiddelke.

From BBC ● Aug. 19, 2026

The rule forbids trading platforms from executing investors’ orders at prices worse than the best available price quoted on stock exchanges.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 18, 2026

His obsessive court rituals — including meticulously aligning his water bottles and executing his precise pre-point routines — were not merely superstitions, but coping mechanisms in a high-stress, solitary sport.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 18, 2026

The possibility of executing the innocent has gone a long way to change the national conversation about the death penalty.

From Slate ● Aug. 13, 2026

In his pop-eyed hurry to pull bones out of the ground, he tore open the site with a bulldozer and didn’t bother taking notes, sketching maps, or executing profile drawings.

From "1491" by Charles C. Mann

Related Words

• accomplish
• complete
• do
• enact
• enforce
• implement
• meet
• perform
• prosecute
• pull off
• take care of