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

I've got to help those guys to be able to execute in those moments.

From BBC ● Oct. 3, 2026

Almeida contrasted the model to the current leading LLMs, which he said can effectively execute tasks with human involvement but are “unbelievably useless for automation.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 2, 2026

Various AI systems retain more information about their users in order to help agents execute tasks with more context.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 1, 2026

UN rights chief Volker Turk on Thursday urged Tennessee not to make a new attempt to execute Pike.

From Barron's ● Oct. 1, 2026

This shape-acquiring ability allows proteins to execute diverse functions in cells.

From "The Gene" by Siddhartha Mukherjee

Analysts at Oppenheimer led by Colin Rusch said they “continue to be encouraged by the company’s capital efficiency as it executes against growth initiatives while buying back stock.”

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 22, 2026

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

From BBC ● Jul. 11, 2026

One of the others is the Brick, that little piece of plastic that has exactly one job—to make my phone stop working in distracting ways—and executes it to perfection.

From Slate ● Jun. 10, 2026

“The 100 and 200 will be a battle. Whoever executes better will win but I trust my training. At the end of the day it’s me versus me. My biggest competition is myself.”

From Los Angeles Times ● May 30, 2026

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

From "The Night Circus" by Erin Morgenstern

As difficult as it is to overcome a man-to-man press executed as well as Brighton's, Arteta's track record suggests he will likely find ways to minimise its effectiveness against his side.

From BBC ● Oct. 9, 2026

There is not a word about those arrested, executed or imprisoned in the gulag, the Soviet Union's vast network of prison labour camps.

From Barron's ● Oct. 7, 2026

Nineteen times this season, the Rays executed a bunt that resulted in a run crossing the plate.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 7, 2026

He was always solid and effortlessly executed these perfect yet almost imperceptibly complex rhythms while also singing harmony vocals.

From Salon ● Oct. 7, 2026

The house had once been owned by General Ludwig Beck, who had been executed by the Nazis for his role in an assassination attempt on Adolf Hitler in 1944.

From "Spies: The Secret Showdown Between America and Russia" by Marc Favreau

The flagship GPT-6 Astra agentic model was released in September and specialises in complex reasoning and executing tasks autonomously.

From BBC ● Sep. 29, 2026

Federal prosecutors said in court filings that, although DEA agents were “briefed on the operation before and after it occurred,” they were “not involved” in planning or executing the raid.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 23, 2026

Still, challenges to widespread adoption remain as agents run into issues executing actions across different platforms.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 21, 2026

Since hiring a new head of sales for its North America division in 2024, Zscaler has been making good progress executing this transition, Weed believes.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 17, 2026

All three of us had trained as soldiers and we probably had the best chance of actually executing an escape.

From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela

Related Words

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